A Glint From Across The Solar System

I know that this is Bad Astronomy‘s usual bailiwick, but I had to post this. It’s a glint of sunlight reflecting off the surface of a lake of liquid hydrocarbons on Titan, a moon of Saturn. When I look at it, I wonder what diesel-fueled creatures might be swimming below. More details here.

December 17th, 2009 4:44 PM by Carl Zimmer in Life Elsewhere | 5 comments | RSS feed | Trackback >

5 Responses to “A Glint From Across The Solar System”

1. Mark Says:
December 18th, 2009 at 12:57 am

Very Cool! The fact we can see this is amazing.
2. ZERO Says:
December 18th, 2009 at 8:33 am

Liquid hydrocarbons yes but not water! Ah, yet!

When our star expands into a red giant there might be hopes for it! But very very small chances!

[CZ: We must shed our hydrocentrism and embrace our methane-based overlords...]
3. Evil Merodach Says:
December 19th, 2009 at 8:39 pm

I never thought I’d live to see the glimmer of alien seas.

Before someone thinks to correct me about this being a lake and not a sea, team members from the University of Arizona believe this is a reflection off of Kraken Mare, which is larger than the Caspian Sea.
4. Michael Nielsen » Biweekly links for 12/21/2009 Says:
December 21st, 2009 at 5:53 am

[...] A Glint From Across The Solar System | The Loom | Discover Magazine [...]
5. Sven DiMilo Says:
December 23rd, 2009 at 7:07 pm

I wonder what diesel-fueled creatures might be swimming below.

If it’s Titan, they must be Sirens.

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