Titan+(Saturn+Moon)


 * SATURN'S MOON, TITAN < **** JULIA CHOI> **

15.945 days at the distance of about 1.2 million km

__**Date of discovery:**__
March 25, 1655 by Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens

__**Scientific History:**__
The nebula was colder near Saturn. The nebula near Titan was cold enough to allow the molecule Nitrogen to become solid. Thus Titan is probably made of Nitrogen ice or sold Nitrogen, and because Saturn is giving off heat, Titan is warm enough for Nitrogen to evaporate and form atmosphere. Inspired by Galileo’s discovery of Jupiter’s four moons in 1601, he discovered the first observed moon orbiting Saturn with the first telescope in 1655. Titan’s surface is shaped by rivers and lakes of liquid ethane and methane which forms clouds and rains. Winds sculpt vast regions of dark, hydrogen-rich dunes. Volcanic eruption may also occur with liquid water.

The name, ‘Titan’ comes from the Greek mythology. In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of powerful deities and descendants of God Gaia and Uranus who ruled during the Golden Age or the Earth before Olympus. Titans helped Gaia overthrew their father, Uranus. The children of Gaia and Uranus, the Titans had a lot of sisters and brothers, one of which is Saturn. In the Orphic version, the Titans are the ancestors of human race. His desire for power enraged Zeus who struck the Titans with lighting. The fire burned them into ashes, as from the ashes, men were formed.


 * 50% size of the Earth
 * Second largest moon in the solar system
 * equatorial radius of 2,575 km (1,600 miles)

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 * 289 degrees Fahrenheit (-178 degrees Celsius) of surface temperature
 * Titan's interior is primarily composed of water ice of different phases
 * Deep inside the core of Titan are heavier, more rocky and metal elements (silicates and iron)
 * Very much like other icy moon
 * Icy Mountains, river channels and vast methane/ ethane lakes on the surface


 * A thick, hazy atmosphere impenetrable by telescopes and cameras
 * Mostly made up with nitrogen (90%) and other hydrocarbon elements such as methane and ethane (10%) which gives Titan orange hue
 * Denser and less massive than Earth's
 * Because Titan is less massive than Earth, its gravity doesn’t hold onto its atmosphere as tightly. So the atmosphere extends to an altitude 10 time higher than Earths – (600 km) into space.
 * Surface pressure about 1.45 times that of Earth's
 * haze in Titan’s atmosphere reflects back sunlight into space
 * Winds blow and carries cloud across its skies




 * Second largest moon in the solar system
 * Extremely cold, has surface temperature of -178 degree Celsius
 * Most Earth-like
 * Only solar system that has rainfall other than Earth
 * Only moon in the solar system known to have clouds and a mysterious, thick, Earth-like atmosphere
 * Because of its impenetrable layer of atmosphere and clouds, not many observations are done.
 * Layer upon layer of hazes (300km)
 * The air’s hydrocarbon rich elements are building blocks for amino acids necessary for the formation of life. Scientists are fascinated by the possibility of life in Titan. -> __Methane based life__
 * Icy mountains+ Methane/ethane Lakes+ Rivers on the surface


 * The surface of Titan has been extremely difficult to explore because the thick hazes of complex hydrocarbons in the atmosphere prevent a clear view.
 * Also, we do not know if there are useful or valuable resrouces.
 * Whether water does really exist -> whether there eare life


 * **Titan Saturn System Mission (TSSM)** is a joint NASA/ESA proposed exploration of Saturn’s moons. It will have a hot air balloon float in the moon’s atmosphere for six months.
 * “**TAE: Titan Aerial Explorer**” will launch in 2022. It will explore the atmosphere, composition and surface structure of the Titan. It will ascertain whether transient liquid lakes really does exist.
 * **Titan Mare Explorer (TiME**) is a low-cost lander that will be floating on the surface of a lake near Titan’s North Pole for 3 to 6 months. TiME could launch as early as 2016 and arrive in 2023

=Bibliography= Coustenis, A. a. (2012, March 28). //Titan (Moon)//. Retrieved March 30, 2012, from Wikipedia, the free enclyopedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan_(moon) Douthitt, B. (2006, December). //Voyage to Saturn//. Retrieved March 29, 2012, from National Geographic: http://science.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/solar-system/voyage-saturn.html Hamilton, C. J. (2011). //Titan Saturn VI//. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from Views of Solar System: http://www.solarviews.com/eng/titan.htm Hamilton, E. (n.d.). //Space Exploration//. Retrieved March 30, 2012, from The Mythology of Saturn: http://avalon100.tripod.com/Saturn.html NASA. (n.d.). //Solar System Exploration//. Retrieved March 28, 2012, from National Aeronautics and Space Administration: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Sat_Titan //Space Topic: Saturn Titan//. (n.d.). Retrieved March 29, 2012, from The Planetary Society: http://www.planetary.org/explore/topics/saturn/titan.html