While orbiting #Saturn, the #Cassini probe spotted magnetic flow tubes empty of #plasma being transported toward the gas giant. Similar observations were recently made by the #Juno probe in the #Jupiter system.

Theoretical models suggest that this influx of plasma-empty magnetic flux tubes balances out an outgoing flow: in this case, the particle flows resulting from the intense volcanic activity of the moons #Io (Jupiter) and #Enceladus (Saturn) : https://www.irap.omp.eu/en/2025/10/what-goes-round-comes-around-inward-propagating-plasma-parcels-spotted-at-jupiter/

For nearly 13 years, the #Cassini probe orbited #saturn, its instruments measuring the energy and particle fluxes between the gas giant and its moons—particularly between Saturn and #Enceladus.

Analysis of the collected data revealed the existence of wave activity characteristic of #Alfvén #waves which occur when Saturn's magnetic field passes close to Enceladus. This is a first, demonstrating the long-distance influence of moons on their host planet.

More info : https://www.europlanet.org/tiny-enceladus-exercises-giant-electromagnetic-influence-at-saturn/

#Crescent #Enceladus
#Astronomy #Picture of the Day

https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260207.html

#APOD

Through the initial part of the second of the #RoyalInstitution #ChristmasLectures this year, I was preparing to moan that they had focussed on the possibility of life on the (major) Solar planets, and missed the idea that #ArthurCClarke popularized via _2010_.

I should not have been so pessimistic.

They went full throttle into the idea of the possibility of extra-terrestrial life not only on #Europa, but also on #Enceladus and #Titan.

Excellent.

Interestingly, since two of the three criteria for IAU Solar planets don't apply to the moons of Saturn and Jupiter *either*, we don't get to entirely rule out dwarf planets like #Ceres yet. They didn't get into that, though.

And like the first lecture was marred by the repeated use of 'criteria' as a singular noun, the second was marred by Maggie Aderin-Pocock repeatedly asking whether people thought that there might be 'life in the Solar system'. 'Criteria' is plural and Terra is in the Solar system, Maggie. (-:

#astronomy

A small, icy #moon of #Saturn called #Enceladus is one of the prime targets in the search for #life elsewhere in the solar system.

In 2005, #Cassini mission discovered geyser-like plumes of #water vapor and ice grains erupting continuously out of cracks in Enceladus' icy shell.

Organic compounds have been detected with confidence in plume material, including amines, which can be precursors to amino acids.

Much larger macromolecules have also been seen but their exact identity is currently uncertain owing to the limitations of the Cassini instrumentation.

#astrobiology
https://theconversation.com/saturns-icy-moon-enceladus-is-an-attractive-target-in-the-search-for-life-new-research-270694

Der Saturnmond #Enceladus scheint ein langfristig stabiles thermisches Gleichgewicht zu besitzen, das durch die starke #Gravitation des Saturn angetrieben wird, eine Art #Gezeitenheizung.

Neben einem ganzen Cocktail aus organischen Verbindungen, der in seinem Ozean nachgewiesen wurde, nährt dies die Hoffnung auf außerirdisches Leben in unserem #Sonnensystem.

https://www.telepolis.de/article/Saturnmond-Enceladus-Ein-belebter-Ozean-unter-dem-Eis-11099752.html

#Saturn #Saturnmond #Cassini #NASA