Enceladus Saturn Moon Fountains of Life Notebook

Saturn’s moon Enceladus is an icy body that glows brightly in the Solar System. The spacecraft Cassini discovered vents on its frozen surface that spew water vapor and ice particles into the rings of planet Saturn. Scientists have theorized that this geyser water emission may originate in hydrothermal vents within a saltwater ocean below the frozen surface. Recent analysis shows that methane gas emissions may well be the result of microbial life in the hydrothermal vents, much like microbes on Earth. Future space missions are needed to explore the seafloor of Enceladus in search of these methanogens.