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    Saturn’s icy moon tagged posts

    Saturn’s icy moon may host a stable ocean fit for life

    November 11, 2025, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    Enceladus heat transfer infographic
    A new study has constrained the Enceladus’ global conductive heat flow by studying its seasonal temperature variations at its north pole (yellow). These results, when combined with existing ones of its highly active south polar region (red) provide the first observational constraint of Enceladus’ energy loss budget (<54 GW) – which is consistent with the predicted energy input (50 to 55 GW) from tidal heating. This implies Enceladus’ current activity is sustainable in the long term – an important prerequisite for the evolution of life, which is thought possible to exist in its global sub-surface ocean. Image credit: University of Oxford/NASA/JPL-CalTech/Space Science Institute (PIA19656 and PIA11141)

    A new study led by researchers from Oxford University, Southwest Research I...

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    Enceladus Jets: Surprises in Starlight

    May 8, 2016, Categories  Astronomy/Space

    The gravitational pull of Saturn changes the amount of particles spraying from the south pole of Saturn's active moon Enceladus at different points in its orbit. More particles make the plume appear much brighter in the infrared image at left. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Cornell/SSI

    The gravitational pull of Saturn changes the amount of particles spraying from the south pole of Saturn’s active moon Enceladus at different points in its orbit. More particles make the plume appear much brighter in the infrared image at left. Credits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona/Cornell/SSI

    During a recent stargazing session, NASA’s Cassini spacecraft watched a bright star pass behind the plume of gas and dust that spews from Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus. At first, the data from that observation had scientists scratching their heads...

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