NASA’s Cassini orbiter captured the north pole on Saturn’s largest moon looking like a wet sidewalk after a bit of rain. This rainfall, which scientists take to signify a change in season on the moon, brought summer to Titan’s northern hemisphere earlier than scientists had predicted. This is the first time summer rainfall has ever been seen on the moon. But strangely, the rain came without any clouds.
The Cassini spacecraft may be long gone, but the data it collected in its long journey continues to reveal incredible truths about Saturn and its moons. Now, researchers from the University of Idaho in Moscow have used Cassini’s observations to pinpoint rainfall on Titan’s north pole. Noticing what is described as “the wet-sidewalk effect,” the team spotted light reflecting off of Titan’s north pole in a way that indicates the presence of rainfall.
But, the team has yet to find an explanation ...
