July 30, 2008

U. of Arizona Scientists Find First Lake Beyond Earth -- on a Moon of Saturn

Space travelers seeking to take a swim now have a whole new world of possibilities. A spacecraft orbiting Saturn has spotted evidence of a lake on its largest moon, Titan, making this the first time scientists have found a body of liquid on an object other than our home planet. The researchers announced their findings today in the journal Nature, and the University of Arizona issued a news release about the discovery, which was made by one of its scientists.

Anyone contemplating a dip in this lake, called Ontario Lacus (at right), will want to wear a thick wet suit. The temperature on the surface of Titan is minus-290 degrees Fahrenheit, and the lake is likely to consist of liquid hydrocarbons such as ethane and methane.

The evidence in the new study was collected by the Cassini spacecraft in orbit around Saturn. Planetary researchers have long suspected that Titan harbored hydrocarbon oceans or lakes, but clear evidence of any liquid body has been difficult to find.

An instrument aboard Cassini has now captured telltale signs of liquid ethane in Ontario Lacus, which is 150 miles long. In 2004, Cassini dropped a probe to the surface of Titan that found evidence that liquid hydrocarbons rain onto the surface of the moon. —Richard Monastersky

Comments

1. You would need a thick dry suit, not a wet suit!

   — Brr    Jul 30, 03:35 PM    #

2. What?! What happened to the good old methane and ammonia lakes? Too little gravity to hold the molecules?

   That settles it for me. That place gets none of my business. There’s nothing quite like the scent of ammonia in the Jovial spring. The Saturn system is definitely out for me! I’m going back to Jupiter. At least you know what you’re getting there.

   Landrum Kelly

   — Landrum Kelly    Jul 30, 03:58 PM    #

3. How come nobody is suggesting we drill for oil on Titan? Building the pipeline might be a trick, though.

   — cm    Jul 30, 04:05 PM    #

4. Aw C’mon Landrum, don’t give up on the Saturn system! There’s plenty to see and do there: surfing the rings, checking out the Sun Ra Arkestra….

   — rev.b    Jul 30, 04:14 PM    #

5. This isn’t actually the first extraterrestrial lake to be found. There is a lake of molten sulfur on Io (with a solid sulfur “iceberg” in it, last time a picture was snapped).

   So take your pick: hot or cold.

   — RunProf    Jul 30, 04:37 PM    #

6. Ahhhh, but the real questions is “Are there any fish in it?”

   — Richard    Jul 30, 05:16 PM    #

7. Congratulations to the scientist of the University of Arizona. One more achievement.

   — Francisco    Jul 30, 08:09 PM    #

8. Can you say, rocket jet ski?

   — Didi Pontiac    Jul 31, 11:22 AM    #

9. Fascinating. But I hope the nomenclature doesn’t help to establish a precedent. In a universe full of plenitude, why regurgitate parochial terran names for extra-terran topographical features?

   — John    Jul 31, 01:36 PM    #

10. YES, validation, that I was telling visitors to my Planitarium there really is water on other planets.
    Rev.B, surfing the rings? Snowboarding would be more fun.

    — Dan    Jul 31, 09:08 PM    #

11. Great accomplishment and discovery UoA! I wonder if the university ought to contact NASA to identify if there are any species living in the lake. Lately, I have been watching alot of science fiction episodes such as Threshold, X Files etc…

    — Doris Martin    Aug 4, 10:55 AM    #

Previous: Transfer Students Make Up Almost 20% of 4-Year Colleges' Enrollments, Report Says
Next: Earthquake Lecture on Riverside Campus Is Interrupted by the Real Thing