Saturn's Largest Moon Titan Found To Be Similar To Planet Earth

NASA has revealed the possibility of alien life existing on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. According to NASA, Titan has a dynamic landscape similar to Planet Earth, making alien life possible.

NASA’s ongoing space probe on Titan has revealed that the moon also has mountains, lakes, valleys and labyrinth terrains just like Earth. Cassini was able to gather data from the more than 120 flybys of Titan around Saturn, after observing it orbit the planet for more than a decade.

As the probe progressed, NASA successfully came up with a map of Titan, which is about the size of Planet Mercury. According to the space organization, many of the moon’s features reveal that Titan is a product of the same geologic process that created the Planet Earth. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) collaborated with the Arizona State University in creating the map of Titan.

According to NASA planetary geologist Dr. Rosaly Lopes, Titan and Earth differ in many aspects but their surface features are almost the same. “Titan has an active methane-based hydrologic cycle that has shaped a complex geologic landscape, making its surface one of the most geologically diverse in the solar system,” she said.

Dr. Lopes also explained that despite the different materials, temperatures and gravity fields between Earth and Titan, they are practically similar when it comes to their landscape. “Many surface features are similar between the two worlds and can be interpreted as being products of the same geologic process,” she said.

The scientist also added that Titan features an active methane-based hydrologic cycle that creates a complex geologic landscape, making its surface one of the most geologically diverse in the Solar System. About 65 percent of Titan’s surface is reportedly covered in plains, while dunes and mountains make up 17 and 14 percent of its surface, respectively.

The probe also revealed that other than the Earth, Titan is the only object in the solar system that has stable liquids on the surface. Unlike the Earth that has raining water failing from its clouds, however, only methane and ethane fall from the clouds in Titan’s atmosphere.