saturn moon

Our solar system is full of secrets that are yet to be discovered. While astronomers and space agencies are hard at work studying the universe, the findings from these missions are put under the scanner by researchers to develop possible theories and find whether there is any chance of life existing on these planets if water is present there. Now, researchers have made a disappointing finding. They have reported that Saturn's moon Titan is quite uninhabitable despite being called an ocean moon. Researchers claim that the…

 The image released by NASA showcases intricate details within Saturn's mesmerising ring system, even offering glimpses of some of its moons, such as Dione, Enceladus, and Tethys. The research team plans to conduct deeper exposures, hoping to explore the planet's fainter rings, including the elusive G ring and the diffuse E ring, which remain hidden in this particular image. Saturn's rings, composed of a diverse array of rocky and icy fragments ranging in size from minuscule grains of sand to colossal mountains, have…

Six essential elements are needed by all life on Earth - carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and sulphur. Saturn’s tiny moon Enceladus has a full set. Scientists have made “first finding of phosphorus on an extraterrestrial ocean world” in the Saturn moon. Phosphates, a key building block of life, were discovered in particles ejected from Enceladus’ ice-covered global ocean from data sent back by NASA's Cassini space mission. The moon has an ice surface and an ice shell covering the ocean inside.…

Scientists studying data from the Cassini spacecraft, a probe sent by the US space agency NASA, have made an important discovery on one of Saturn's icy moons. They have found high concentrations of phosphorus, which is crucial for all living processes on Earth.This phosphorus was detected in ice crystals below the surface of Enceladus, Saturn's moon that has an ocean beneath its icy exterior. Finding phosphorus is a significant breakthrough for the possibility of alien life on this moon. Researchers had already found six…

The long hunt for extraterrestrials just got a big boost.Scientists have discovered that phosphorus, a key building block of life, lies in the ocean beneath the icy surface of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The finding was based on a review of data collected by NASA's Cassini probe, and was published Wednesday in the prestigious journal Nature. Cassini started exploring Saturn and its rings and moons in 2004, before burning up in the gas giant's atmosphere when its mission ended in 2017."This is a stunning discovery for…

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has provided us with numerous stunning images despite its short duration of service. The space telescope has delivered amazing snaps of the early universe since its launch in December 2021 and now, it has added another feather to its cap. The Webb Telescope has captured water vapour plume jetting from Enceladus, one of Saturn's 124 moons. Not only is this the first time that such a large emission has been observed over such a large distance, it also gives scientists a direct look at how…

Saturn has 83 confirmed moons! Among these, there is a Trojan moon known as Helene which is a small and faint moon. It is known as Trojan because it shares its orbit with another moon called Dione, which is hundreds of times larger than Helene. Today, NASA has shared a colourful image of Saturn's moon Helene as Astronomy Picture of the Day on April 30. In spite of its muted tones, Saturn's moon Helene remains a mystery. In 2012, the robotic Cassini spacecraft performed a close flyby of the small moon, capturing images of…

Titan, the biggest moon of Saturn, is the second largest moon in our solar system. It is an icy celestial body concealed by a golden hazy atmosphere. According to NASA, only Ganymede, the moon of Jupiter, is bigger than Titan. Titan is more massive than Earth's moon and exceeds the size of the planet Mercury. Moreover, Titan is the only moon in the solar system with a dense atmosphere, and it's the only world besides Earth that has standing bodies of liquid, including rivers, lakes and seas, on its surface, as per…

Do you know how many moons Saturn has? The planet has a total of 83 moons, out of which 63 moons are confirmed and named. While, the other 20 moons are awaiting confirmation of discovery and official naming by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), according to NASA. Today's NASA astronomy picture of the day is about one of Saturn's moons named Hyperion. It is the largest of Saturn's irregular, non-spherical moons, and has odd craters.Captioning the image of the day titled 'Saturn's Hyperion: A Moon with Odd…

Recently, Jupiter took the crown of the planet with the most moons in our solar system away from Saturn. Saturn used to be on top with a total of as many as 83 moons. Now, Jupiter has been crowned with a whopping 92! However, if scientists are right, then Saturn will regain the title as they have found more moons circling the planet! Among the moons of Saturn, and one of the brightest, is Enceladus. And it has been featured in the NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day today. In fact, this moon is shining bright by the light…