Supersonic Water Jets Shoot into Space at 2100 kmph from Saturn moon Enceladus

Cassini spacecraft on its 13 year mission (2004-2017) flew by many moons of  Saturn. Most of them are icy worlds.  But Enceladus is quite interesting and different from other 81 moons of Saturn which has captured attention of scientists for decades. It shines so bright and surface temperatures would reach -200oC. Its surface  is completely  a thick layer of ice. When Cassini spacecraft finally arrived on Enceladus, it discovered something fascnating. Water vapor jets shooting into space, global oceans underneath the surface, hydrothermal vents etc. Very much earth like. Could life exist there? May be. Enceladus is a fascinating world. Read other articles to know more enceladus.

  Artistic illustration of Cassini flying through water jets at ~100 km above Enceladus, A moon of Saturn

A closer view of enceladus, A saturn's moon by Cassini spacecraft during its flyby shows craters, terrains, icy surface...NASA/ESA

 The geysers of Saturn’s moon Enceladus. These huge plumes of water vapor erupt through cracks at Enceladus’  south pole. The Cassini spacecraft analyzed the plumes and found they contain water vapor, ice  particles, salts, methane and a variety of complex organic molecules. Scientists believe they originate from an  ocean below the moon’s icy crust. Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute.

Moons of Saturn: Enceladus

Plumes of water ice spewing from the south polar region of Saturn's moon Enceladus. The image was taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera, Dec. 25, 2009.

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft captured this image of Enceladus on Nov. 30, 2010. The shadow of the body of Enceladus on the lower portions of the jets is clearly visible. Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

The tiger stripes of Enceladus are shown in blue.