Propylene on Titan

NASA scientists discuss the search for life on the ocean worlds of our solar system and beyond.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Universal Production Music: “Superluminal” by Lee Groves and Peter George Marett; “Earthrise,” “Prism Lights,” and “Uncertain Ahead” by Ben Niblett and Jon Cotton; “Infinite Sky” and “Human Architecture” by Andy Blythe and Marten Joustra; “Imagine If” by Paul Werner || Life as we know it requires three ingredients: energy, organic molecules, and liquid water. Our search for life beyond Earth is a search for planets, dwarf planets, and moons that harbor substantial liquid water. We call these places “ocean worlds.” We’re learning that ocean worlds could be ubiquitous in the galaxy. Just in our solar system, we have found evidence of oceans on Saturn’s moons Titan and Enceladus; Jupiter’s moons Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto; Neptune’s moon Triton; and on Pluto. We also believe that Venus and Mars may have had oceans billions of years ago. Could they have supported life? NASA’s research on oceans also includes our own planet and helps us to better understand the role of Earth’s ocean in our planet’s climate system. As we learn more about our own oceans, we will better understand worlds beyond Earth. Discover more about ocean worlds. || Carrie Anderson gives an overview of Saturn’s small moon Enceladus, and its surprising potential for habitability.Universal Production Music: “Earthrise” by Ben Niblett and Jon Cotton || Melissa Trainer and Carrie Anderson give an overview of Saturn’s large moon Titan, and its exotic yet Earthlike features.Universal Production Music: “Uncertain Ahead” by Ben Niblett and Jon Cotton || Avi Mandell and Lucas Paganini discuss Jupiter’s moon Europa, where their discovery of water vapor plumes indicates the presence of a subsurface ocean.Universal Production Music: “Prism Lights” by Ben Niblett and Jon Cotton || Lynnae Quick, Avi Mandell, and Carrie Anderson preview the search ocean worlds beyond our own solar system, and the implications for life throughout the galaxy.Universal Production Music: “Human Architecture” by Andy Blythe and Marten Joustra; “Imagine If” by Paul Werner

Since arriving at Saturn in 2004, Cassini has used its Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) to study the ringed planet and its moons in heat radiation. Complete transcript available.Watch this video on the NASA Goddard YouTube channel.Music provided by Killer Tracks: s Goddard Space Flight Center. This model is a twin of the CIRS instrument on the Cassini spacecraft. || The Cassini Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) engineering model. || The CIRS engineering model up close. || Another view of the CIRS model with mirror and moving parts. || The CIRS computer station, where instrument commands are tested before they are sent to JPL for transmission to the Cassini spacecraft.

An ingredient of everyday plastic is discovered on Saturn’s moon Titan. || Watch this video to find out how NASA s atmosphere appear hazy. || On Titan, hydrocarbons form clouds, rain down on the surface and accumulate in lakes. || Propylene (bottom row, center) is one of many hydrocarbons found on Titan.