The Fractured North Pole of Saturns Enceladus
Explanation:
The north pole of Saturn's moon
Enceladus
is unexpectedly fascinating and complex.
Previous to the
latest flyby of the
robotic Cassini spacecraft,
the northern region was known mostly for its unusually high
abundance of craters.
Last week's flyby, however, returned images of unprecedented detail, including the
featured image
showing the expected craters coupled with an
unexpected and circuitous pattern of picturesque cracks and fractures.
Broken terrain has been recorded at lower latitudes,
with deep canyons dubbed
Tiger Stripes near Enceladus' South Pole.
The fractures may further indicate global interplay between the surface and potential
seas underneath, seas that
future missions
might target for
signs of life.
Retrospective:
Today in
APOD History
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.
