Post by Augie on Nov 18, 2005 1:10:36 GMT
Hi folks,
The Cassini spacecraft to Saturn and its moons has been remarkable. It has revealed some amazing things about Titan. We have always known that Titan is Earth-like. But Cassini showed that Titan is even more Earth-like than we imagined.
Titan is the only moon in the solar system that has a "real" atmosphere. It is much like Earth was billions of years ago. Titan is loaded with methane and other hydro-carbons (the "building-blocks of life"), particularly its atmosphere. Billions of years ago, Earth's atmosphere was similar to Titan's now. Oxygen was considered a "pollutant" in Earth's atmosphere back then. Today, Earth's atmosphere is mostly nitrogen and oxygen.
It is so ironic to think that Titan would be the most earth-like moon in the entire solar system. It is a moon of Saturn. Saturn is the most toxic and poisonous planet in the entire solar system. Saturn is loaded with sulfuric acid and other highly toxic chemicals.
The Cassini spacecraft has revealed that Titan has even more methane than we imagined. Its atmosphere is loaded with methane gas. The surface of Titan has "lakes" or "seas" of liquid methane. Its surface also has huge formations of frozen, solid methane (much like glaciers or mountains on Earth). I guess you can call them "methane glaciers".
Cassini has also given us evidence that points to weather systems on Titan very similar to Earth's. Titan is the only place (planet or moon) in the entire solar system that has weather so similar to Earth. Titan has lightning just like Earth. The evidence suggests that it even "rains" liquid methane on Titan, just like on Earth. Instead of raining liquid water, it rains liquid methane.
Titan is an amzing place that can teach us a lot about what Earth was like billions of years ago. Maybe humans will be living there someday. The planet Mars and Saturn's moon Titan are the 2 most likely places that humans will inhabit someday. Earth's own moon isn't as good a candidate. It lacks an atmosphere, water, etc. Mars and Titan have these things. What makes Earth's moon convenient is its closeness to Earth.
Augie
The Cassini spacecraft to Saturn and its moons has been remarkable. It has revealed some amazing things about Titan. We have always known that Titan is Earth-like. But Cassini showed that Titan is even more Earth-like than we imagined.
Titan is the only moon in the solar system that has a "real" atmosphere. It is much like Earth was billions of years ago. Titan is loaded with methane and other hydro-carbons (the "building-blocks of life"), particularly its atmosphere. Billions of years ago, Earth's atmosphere was similar to Titan's now. Oxygen was considered a "pollutant" in Earth's atmosphere back then. Today, Earth's atmosphere is mostly nitrogen and oxygen.
It is so ironic to think that Titan would be the most earth-like moon in the entire solar system. It is a moon of Saturn. Saturn is the most toxic and poisonous planet in the entire solar system. Saturn is loaded with sulfuric acid and other highly toxic chemicals.
The Cassini spacecraft has revealed that Titan has even more methane than we imagined. Its atmosphere is loaded with methane gas. The surface of Titan has "lakes" or "seas" of liquid methane. Its surface also has huge formations of frozen, solid methane (much like glaciers or mountains on Earth). I guess you can call them "methane glaciers".
Cassini has also given us evidence that points to weather systems on Titan very similar to Earth's. Titan is the only place (planet or moon) in the entire solar system that has weather so similar to Earth. Titan has lightning just like Earth. The evidence suggests that it even "rains" liquid methane on Titan, just like on Earth. Instead of raining liquid water, it rains liquid methane.
Titan is an amzing place that can teach us a lot about what Earth was like billions of years ago. Maybe humans will be living there someday. The planet Mars and Saturn's moon Titan are the 2 most likely places that humans will inhabit someday. Earth's own moon isn't as good a candidate. It lacks an atmosphere, water, etc. Mars and Titan have these things. What makes Earth's moon convenient is its closeness to Earth.
Augie