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Titan's Smooth Surface Baffles Scientists

Posted by michael on from the that's-no-moon! dept.

JazMuadDib writes "Scientists expected a few rough spots when their space drone snapped close-range images of Titan, Saturn's largest moon. Instead, the planetlike moon appears to have a bizarre, mysteriously smooth surface, and Tuesday's images have left them in a state of wonder. Read more at the Tucson Citizen." NASA's Cassini pages have a wide assortment of images and analysis. Cassini's data has already thrown scientists for loop.

7 of 319 comments (clear)

  1. The Great Link! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Redundant
    Another possibility, he says, is that "it's some sort of organic goo. It could be some sort of organic polymer, essentially plastic particles. Maybe little polystyrene foam balls. Who knows?" But, as with ethane, these would form from above. There's no known reason why a massive cloud of them should form at Titan's south pole.
    Ahh they found the Great Link!! I for one welcome our new Changeling overlords!
  2. Why it's so smooth... by wirelessbuzzers · · Score: 1, Redundant

    That's no moon...it's a space station!

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    I hereby place the above post in the public domain.
  3. Actually... by bigredgiant1 · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Actually the article said nothing about the moon seeming to have a smooth surface. It said the moon could have huge mountains and valleys, or be perfectly flat. It said that at this time there was no way to tell.

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    Vic
  4. radar data link by bani · · Score: 1, Redundant

    ...is here:

    http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/gs2.cgi?path= .. /multimedia/images/titan/images/PIA06989.jpg&type= image

  5. Oops. by brassman · · Score: 0, Redundant

    Caption of the radar mosaic: "The smallest details seen on the image are about 300 meters (186 miles) across."

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    "Ain't no right way to do a wrong thing."
  6. Re:Logic Dictates... by pbjones · · Score: 0, Redundant

    that moderation for you, I made the same comment earlier and got a 0 and 'off-topic'

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    There was an unknown error in the submission.
  7. If it hasn't already been said... by Zegnar · · Score: 0, Redundant

    That's no moon! It's a space station!