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| Demon X01 |
 Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2008 8:25 pm Post subject: Saturn's moon |
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Forum Freshman
Joined: 27 Mar 2008
Posts: 53
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At the History Channel.com they have said that organic material was found on the surface of one of Saturns moons.
I have no clue what that means so oh well.
But it is news. 
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Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum- Flavius Vegetius Renatus
Try to sound smart, but end up looking stupid. |
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| Ophiolite |
| Posted: Mon Mar 31, 2008 1:52 am Post subject: |
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Forum Radioactive Isotope
Joined: 25 Jul 2005
Posts: 4632
Location: Scotland
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More information here:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/media/cassini-20080326.html
The moon in question is Enceladus, which Cassini passed within 50 kms of last week. The specific organic materials (other than carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide) are not mentioned, but are compared with the organics found within comets. That suggests a wide range of low molecular weight organics, such as methane, acetone, polycyclic aromatics, possibly even some amino acids.
I am puzzled by the surprise expressed as to this composition. What were they expecting satellites formed beyond the ice line to be made up of, if not comet like planetesimals.
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The Universe is not only weirder than we imagine it is weirder than we can imagine. J.B.S.Haldane. |
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