Scientists discover giant dust storms on Saturn's largest moon

There is a celestial body in space that looks a lot like Earth, and it is the largest moon of Saturn called Titan.

It is so similar that scientists have discovered "giant dust storms" in the "equatorial regions" of the moon, according to a statement posted on the NASA website today, citing an article published in Nature Geoscience . The discovery was made based on data obtained from NASA's Cassini spacecraft.

Researchers believe that strong gusts of wind that occur during severe methane storms can result in huge amounts of dust. Such methane storms, previously observed in images of the Cassini international spacecraft, can form dune fields covering the equatorial regions of this moon, especially around the equinox, the time of the crossing of the moon. ; equator.

Titan is the third body in the solar system where dust storms have been observed, according to the press release. The other two are Earth and Mars. Titan has other similarities with the Earth, including seasonal changes and the existence of "stable bodies of surface liquid", although it mainly acts of methane and water. 39, ethane rather than water.

"Titan is a very active moon," said lead author Sebastien Rodriguez.

"We already know about the geology and the cycle of exotic hydrocarbons.Now we can add another analogy with the Earth and Mars: the active cycle of dust, in which organic dust can also astronomer at the same time. Paris Diderot University in France.

CNET contacted NASA for a comment.

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