ICY SCIENCE: SCIENCE SPACE ASTRONOMY Spring 2014 | Page 29

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its southern pole which composition could be Water mixed with dust and gases. The plumes could also contribute to Saturn ring system.
Recently the Cassini spacecraft flew over Enceladus and detected a gravitational signal consistent with a
large body of water. The data suggests a large liquid volume lies about 40 Km below the moons icy crust.

A Sea on Enceladus, and a Robotic Mole
In a place that is otherwise barren, there is a place
of warm venting sea water, chimneys of encrusting
minerals, methane made by the rocks and water, and
consumed by microbes, and tiny creatures who cling
to their tiny island of life. It’s the L