Space & Astronomy

Could there be alien life on Enceladus ?

By T.K. Randall
October 26, 2015 ·  14 comments

A diagram showing the internal structure of Enceladus. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Thought to be home to a subterranean ocean of liquid water, Enceladus remains one of the most promising places to look for evidence of extraterrestrial life within our own solar system.

One of its most unique and interesting features is its geysers which periodically spew water vapor, ice grains and unstable chemicals in to the atmosphere at speeds of up to 1,360mph.Now in an effort to learn more about the composition of these materials, Cassini will be swooping down to within 30 miles of the moon's south pole on October 28th so that it can collect samples.

"This incredible plunge through the Enceladus plume is an amazing opportunity for NASA and its international partners on the Cassini mission to ask, 'Can any icy ocean world host the ingredients for life?'" said Cassini program scientist Dr. Curt Niebur.


Source: Tech Times | Comments (14)

Tags: Enceladus, Saturn, Cassini