Cassini spacecraft

‘Tiger stripes’ on Saturn’s moon Enceladus could reveal whether the oceans are habitable

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New research has found that the side-to-side motion along distinctive ‘tiger stripes’ on Saturn’s moon Enceladus is linked to jets of ice crystals erupting from its icy shell. The findings could help determine the characteristics of this icy moon of Saturn’s subsurface ocean, and thus whether Enceladus is favorable for life. Enceladus’ tiger stripes consist … Read more

Saturn’s ‘Death Star’ moon Mimas may have an ocean that scientists never believed could exist

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Astronomers have discovered that a small moon of Saturn, called Mimas, may harbor a hidden liquid ocean beneath its thick icy shell and thus have the conditions for habitability. This shocking finding radically changes the definition of what an ocean moon can be, and could ultimately redefine our search for extraterrestrial life on moons in … Read more