This picture shows Enceladus. It is one of Saturn's moons. The picture is from the Cassini spacecraft. The moon's South Pole is towards the left side of the picture. Can you see the "Tiger Stripes" there?
Click on image for full size
Image courtesy NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute.
Enceladus
Saturn has
moons. Enceladus is one of them. Enceladus is the sixth
biggest moon of Saturn. The diameter of Enceladus is 505 km (314 miles).
Enceladus is very interesting. It is also very strange. It is made of ice.
There are many cracks
in the ice near the moon's South Pole. The South Pole of Enceladus is warmer
than the rest of the moon. That is very odd.
Have you heard of "Old Faithful" geyser in Yellowstone Park? It shoots
hot water and steam up into the air. Some scientists think there are geysers
on Enceladus. They shoot out cold water and ice crystals instead of hot
water and steam. The geysers are near the South Pole of Enceladus, where the
cracks are.
Some of the ice from the geysers falls back onto Enceladus. It covers the moon
with shiny, fresh ice. It reflects lots of light, like fresh snow does. Some
of the ice makes the atmosphere of Enceladus. Most of the atmosphere is on the
side near the geysers. Some of the ice from the geysers goes into space. It
makes one of the rings of Saturn! The orbit
of Enceladus is inside of a ring.
The name "Enceladus" is from Greek
mythology. Enceladus was a giant. He was one of the children of Gaia.
He fought against the Greek gods. A goddess named Athena killed him. He was
buried under a volcano!
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