Ski Enceladus
Explanation:
Small, icy, inner
moon of Saturn,
Enceladus is only about 500 kilometers
in diameter.
But the distant world does reflect over 90 percent
of the sunlight it receives, giving its surface about the
same reflectivity as fresh snow.
Seen
here in a sharp view from the
Cassini spacecraft's recent
flyby,
Enceladus
shows a variety of surface features and very few impact craters -
indicating that it has been an active world even though
this tiny moon should have completely cooled off long ago.
In fact, the resurfaced appearance of
Enceladus could be the
result of liquid water geysers or
water
volcanos.
Since Enceladus orbits within the outer E ring
of Saturn,
the moon's surface may be kept snow-bright as it is continuously
bombarded with icy ring particles.
Eruptions
on Enceladus itself would in turn supply material
to the E ring.
Interplanetary
ski bums take
note: tiny Enceladus has only about 1/100th
the
surface gravity of planet Earth
and a surface temperature of -200 degrees C (-330 degrees F).
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.
