News Planetary Science

Moon spray

By Ron Cowen

- More than 2 years ago

Geysers of icy material are erupting from Saturn’s tiny moon Enceladus, providing incontrovertible proof that the moon is geologically active. Recent images taken by the Cassini spacecraft, which has toured the Saturnian system since July 2004, show the jets shooting far above the icy satellite’s south-polar region.

ICE FOUNTAINS. Backlit by the sun, Saturn’s moon Enceladus shows icy material streaming from a source somewhere in the body’s south-polar region.