The liquid found on Saturn’s moon, Titan represents one of the most thrilling and challenging discoveries in a hundred years, since besides Earth, this is the only other solar body with open lakes on the surface in the system. The lake-like formations contain liquid hydrocarbons, most probably ethane according to NASA press release. In the many close flybys around Saturn and its moons, Cassini probe took a large number of pictures of these planetary system. According to theories there could be large oceans of methane, ethane and various other hydrocarbons; the speculation of crude oil components was confirmed by the dark color of the substance revealed on Titan. Nevertheless, the liquid form was not 100% sure until a probe reached the surface of Titan in January 2005.
The depth of these pools or lakes of liquid found on Saturn’s satellite could be a few or hundreds of feet deep. Infrared scanning by Cassini spacecraft allowed an approximation of the features. However, the main issue remains as whether this planet can support life or not. Liquid found on Saturn’s other moon, Enceladus, seems to be water springing from high pressure geysers fueled by reservoirs just below the cold planet surface. Could such scientific evidence begin a new era in the planetary exploration programs? Though life is difficult to imagine in the unfavorable weather of this cold world, just a few feet under the soil of Enceladus, all the discoveries indicate that life is more than possible.
This is the reason why the liquid found on Saturn’s Enceladus set the course for new investigations for life in the solar system. Plus, the other prerequisite for life existence on Enceladus, organic materials, is also met: there is methane, ethane, carbon dioxide and several others. Finally, in the hot areas closer to core, deep down in Saturn’s center, the temperature could also create a favorable environment for the evolution of life forms.
The liquid found on Saturn’s moons makes the most exciting discovery in the last twenty five years, since volcanic activity was identified on one of Jupiter’s satellites. Though the source of the water geysers could not be spotted by the camera of the spacecraft the water and ice sprays were very visible in the sunlight, in the polar region of Enceladus. An identical alternation of hot and icy patterns specific to commets is present in this Enceladus combination of hot water and icy particles. Then, there must be liquid water under the surface!