Herschel Space Observatory

Herschel Space Observatory Discovers Clues To Where Earths Ocean Water Came From

October 6, 2011
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New measurements from the Herschel Space Observatory have discovered water with the same chemical signature as our oceans in a comet called Hartley 2 (pictured at right). Previously, astronomers thought icy comets impacting on a young Earth had deposited only about 10 percent of the water comprising our oceans. The new findings, however, suggest that comets played a much bigger role. The image of comet Harley 2 at top right was taken by NASA's EPOXI mission. The image at bottom right is an artist's concept of a comet. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech

Using the Herschel Space Observatory astronomers have found source for the same type of water that appeared in Earth’s oceans billions of years ago. Measurements of comet Hartley 2 show it contains water with the same chemical signature as Earth’s oceans. Comet Hartley 2 comes from the Kuiper Belt a distance 30 to 50 times as far away as the Earth is from the Sun. The Kuiper Belt is home to icy, rocky bodies including Pluto, other dwarf planets and innumerable comets. “Our results with Herschel suggest that comets could have played a major role in bringing vast amounts...

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Saturn’s Moon Enceladus’s Dramatic Influence

September 22, 2011
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Water vapor and ice erupt from Saturn's moon Enceladus, the source of a newly discovered donut-shaped cloud around Saturn. Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

Saturn’s intriguing moon Enceladus pews out dramatic plumes of water vapor and ice. It possesses simple organic particles and may house liquid water beneath its surface. Its geyser-like jets create a gigantic halo of ice, dust and gas around Enceladus that helps feed Saturn’s E ring. Enceladus is the only moon in our solar system known to influence substantially the chemical composition of its parent planet. This June the European Space Agency using the Herschel Space Observatory found a huge donut-shaped cloud, or torus, of water vapor created by Enceladus encircling Saturn. The torus, which appears to be the...

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