A moon of Saturn – which resembles the Death Star from Star Wars – has a warm, hidden ocean which could possess life, according to astronomers.
Mimas, around 250 miles across in size, was thought to be a lifeless solid object with a surface layer of pock-marked ice.
But scientists now suggest it orbits Saturn and moves in a way best described as the presence of a large volume of liquid water.
It is thought the moon has an ocean that is about 40 miles deep, under an icy crust which is around 15 miles thick.
A moon of Saturn – which resembles the Death Star from Star Wars – has a warm, hidden ocean which could possess life, according to astronomers
NASA
Astronomers claim the water could reach 30C – an ideal temperature that might sustain life.
Mimas will become part of a collection of ocean worlds, if the analysis is correct, including Jupiter’s moon Europa and Enceladus.
The discovery was made after data collected by Nasa’s Cassini spacecraft was analysed.
Dr Valéry Lainey of the Observatoire de Paris-PSL, who led the research said: “It’s a very unlikely place to find habitable water.”
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“If we find it here, it suggests that we’ll find it in many other locations.”
The data appears to show that Mimas has a very young ocean, formed just five to 15 million years ago.
Dr Nick Cooper of Queen Mary University of London, a co-author of the research added: “Mimas is a small moon and its heavily cratered surface gave no hint of the hidden ocean beneath.
Mimas, around 250 miles across in size, was thought to be a lifeless solid object with a surface layer of pock-marked ice
NASA
“This discovery adds Mimas to an exclusive club of moons with internal oceans, including Enceladus and Europa, but with a unique difference: its ocean is remarkably young.
“The existence of a recently formed liquid water ocean makes Mimas a prime candidate for study, for researchers investigating the origin of life.”
Cooper added: “This opens up exciting new avenues for future exploration, potentially leading us closer to answering the age-old question: are we alone in the universe?”
Dr. Thomas Hughes is a UK-based scientist and science communicator who makes complex topics accessible to readers. His articles explore breakthroughs in various scientific disciplines, from space exploration to cutting-edge research.
