New images show the Titan of Saturn's moon in incredible detail

Our limited human vision can really constrain our understanding of the universe. We can only see a thin band of light wavelengths, these waves with peaks of 390 to 700 nanometers from peak to peak. This means that we miss all light emitting details from other wavelengths, such as radio and microwave light, as well as infrared, ultraviolet, and X-ray.

Scientists have released new views of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, taken by the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) instrument on the decommissioned Cassini spacecraft. They represent a lot of data that has been combined and smoothed and they show a clear vision of what the moon looks like under its dense atmosphere.

The central yellow image shows how Titan would look at human eyes. Around him are the six new infrared representations, rendered in colors that human eyes can see.

Each color (red, green, and blue) represents a ratio of the brightness of two different infrared wavelengths. This method aims to highlight the materials that make up the characteristics of the moon while reducing the image artifacts of the combination of raw files.

The VIMS instrument records the infrared wavelengths of light that are not diffused by the atmosphere filled with Titan particles as are the wavelengths of light visible. It's a bit like putting on a pair of red glasses to decode a secret message.

But decoding this message has required many observations from Cassini, according to a NASA press release. And Titan looked different every time Cassini went on, with different levels of light or changes in the atmosphere of the planet over time, which required an extra effort to make these views transparent.

The images show the complex surface of Titan hidden under its atmosphere. We already know that this moon is a strange place – it is 50% larger than the moon and has oceans of liquid hydrocarbon on its surface with rivers, lakes and even methane showers

Some have even speculated that carbon and nitrogen atmosphere could be the cornerstone of a strange biology of Titan.

Nearly a year after Cassini's last dive into Saturn, his data continues to produce an impressive science. Now, maybe it's time for our scientific probes to visit Titan or other potentially life-threatening moons.

[NASA]