The Surface of Titan
Explanation:
If sailing the
hydrocarbon seas of
Titan,
beware of gasoline rain.
Such might be a
travel advisory issued
next millennium for adventurers visiting
Titan, the largest moon of
Saturn.
Images of
Titan's surface were
released last week from the
Keck 10-meter telescope
featuring the finest details yet resolved.
Peering into
Titan's thick smog atmosphere with
infrared light,
complex features interpreted as oceans, glaciers,
and rock became visible.
The high-resolution infrared image
pictured above was made possible
using an unblurring technique called
speckle interferometry.
The interplanetary probe
Cassini
will reach Saturn and Titan in 2004 to
better explore this unusual world.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
