Astronomers have found signs of habitability on Saturn’s icy moon
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Astronomers have found signs of habitation on Saturn’s moon Mimas
A team of French astronomers from the Paris Observatory has concluded that one of Saturn’s moons, Mimas, may support life due to the presence of an ocean. The study was published in the journal Nature.
Mimas is a small moon covered in ice. It was nicknamed the “Death Star” because of its huge crater, which gives it the appearance of a space station from Star Wars.
Previously, scientists did not believe that liquid water could exist on Mimas. However, astronomers have noticed strange fluctuations in the satellite’s rotation and orbit, which may be due to the presence of an ocean beneath its surface.
Scientists estimate that the ocean on Mimas may lie 20 to 30 kilometers beneath the icy crust and has likely existed for between two and 25 million years.
This discovery makes Mimas similar to Saturn’s other moon, Enceladus, which also has an underground ocean. Both satellites are at the same distance from the planet and are similar in size.
Scientists hope that future missions to Saturn, planned for the 2030s and 2040s, will help learn more about Mimas and its potential ability to support life.
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