NASA has spotted rain in space. This discovery was made by scientists who saw something intriguing happening on one of the largest moons that belongs to a massive planet in our solar system. At first, this didn’t seem like something to rave about. The thick clouds and dense atmosphere around this planet already make it a strange place. Rain felt like just another oddity among many.
It’s raining in space—This planet’s bizarre weather has revealed something strange to the team at NASA
The James Webb Telescope revealed something special about this strange weather happening on this distant planet. What seemed to be a downpour of water might not be that at all. This moon also seems to glow a green color. Experts have referred to this particular moon as one of the more Earth-like environments in our solar system. It just happens to be harsher and colder.
This green glow and water-like downpour has been located on Saturn’s largest moon, Titan. This discovery has thrust Titan back to the center of discussions in the world of astronomy, and with good reason. The water is, in fact, liquid methane.
How a downpour of liquid methane has captivated scientists at NASA
On Titan, methane acts a lot like water does here on Earth. It evaporates, forms clouds, and even falls as rain. With average temperatures of around -179 degrees Celsius, Titan is freezing. These methane showers occur near Titan’s north pole and might fall in line with seasonal changes in weather. The weather is also quite erratic, as these methane downpours can happen even when the sky seems clear.
The strangest part remains this green glow. Some of the more recent images show Titan awash with a green light. Are these glowing gases or some peculiar chemical reactions? That is not what is happening. The green rain is, in fact, not green, nor is the glow that consumes Titan.
What is the green light that surrounds Titan?
The green light spotted by NASA looks almost supernatural. Scientists say that this light is something that happens because of false color imaging. Colors that are invisible to us, like infrared, are turned into colors we can actually see. Infrared technology helps us see into Saturn as well as peer through Titan’s thick atmosphere, but because we can’t see infrared as a color, those invisible wavelengths are painted in colors we can see.
That green tint is not what your eyes would see if you were on Titan. It is just a way to better view the methane falling on Titan. If you were on Titan, experts reveal that what you would predominantly see is orange. Nitrogen, organic haze, and sunlight are the reasons for that.
Why Titan continues to be something that scientists at NASA investigate so heavily
So, the waters falling on Titan are not water; they are methane, and this moon is not glowing green. This is still intriguing, nonetheless. Titan has a lot in common with Earth, which is why it is looked at so closely by scientists. It has lakes, rivers, and oceans, but these are filled with methane and ethane. Not water.
NASA is looking to further its understanding of Titan because of how similar it is to Earth. Their upcoming Dragonfly mission, which should launch later in this decade, will look to explore the surface of Titan more closely.
Data has shown that the downpour of methane can even carve out paths in its frozen crust. This downfall has been shaping the landscape on Titan for thousands of years. Titan is a fascinating feature of our solar system that is sure to reveal more of itself as NASA continues to study it.