Scientists Confirm Liquid Lake, Beach on Saturn's Moon Titan [News]
Wednesday, July 30, 2008 - 12:35
in Astronomy & Space
Just in time for a summer holiday, scientists have discovered the solar system's newest beach destination. Too bad there's no way to get there--at least not easily. Researchers report in Nature today that they identified a dark liquid lake, surrounded by a lighter shoreline and a "beach," on the surface of Saturn's moon Titan. The foot-shaped lake is the first verified extraterrestrial body of liquid, and is likely filled with hydrocarbons, simple compounds also common on Earth."This is the first definitive evidence for both liquid and liquid hydrocarbons on Titan," says lead study author Robert Brown, a professor of planetary science at the University of Arizona's Lunar and Planetary Laboratory (LPL) in Tucson. [More]