By Xinhua
Beijing : The international Cassini spacecraft is poised to approach the fringes of the gigantic geysers on an icy Saturn moon to probe their chemical makeup, media reports said Wednesday.
Cassini will sweep over the surface of Enceladus about 193 km (120 miles) above, with a closest approach within 48 km (30 miles).
The carefully orchestrated event will take Cassini “deeper than we’ve been before,” mission scientist Carolyn Porco of the Space Science Institute said.
Scientists long believed Enceladus, the shiniest object in the solar system, was cold and still because it resides hundreds of millions of miles from the sun. But recent evidence showed it is geologically active, with a significant atmosphere and a relatively warm south pole.
The Arizona-size satellite surprised scientists when they detected images of geyser-like eruptions of ice particles and water vapor spewing from the south pole in 2005.
Until now, scientists have not been able to measure the geysers’ makeup in detail. Using its particle analyzers, Cassini will calculate the density, size and speed of the various gases and particles.
The spacecraft’s cameras will also image the moon during the flyby.