Re: Re: OT Titan - time for Darrell''s ''splanation

[Guest guest]

> -----Original Message-----

> From: Darrell [mailto:lazlo75501@...]

>

> > Well Huygen has landed, and the oozy, orange and rocky photos are

> > coming in. Will you now tell why you think/thought this moon is hot?

> > Deanna

>

> I am interested in one of the out-of-favor theories that the

> Saturn system is a relatively new member of the Solar family.

> As such this theory predicts that new Solar members have a

> high probability of being " hot " in the manner that Venus is

> hot.

Why?

> The Cassini-Huygens scientists predicted Titan would have a

> prominent cloud layer which proved to be untrue. Also, so

> far, the NASA predicted methane oceans of Titan have yet to

> be proven to exist beyond doubt. An ocean landing was

> supposedly so probable that Huygens was outfitted with

> flotation devices, but as we see it landed on what look like

> solid ground. NASA, not to be deterred, quickly stated that

> the methane MUST be under the surface of the ground.

Eh? Last I heard, the thinking was that those big dark areas visible on the

descent were the oceans. Have they now acknowledged that this is not the

case?

[Guest guest]

Darrell-

>I am interested in one of the out-of-favor theories that the Saturn

>system is a relatively new member of the Solar family. As such this

>theory predicts that new Solar members have a high probability of

>being " hot " in the manner that Venus is hot.

Uh, why? Where would the energy input have come from to heat the moon up

in the first place, runaway greenhouse effect or no?

>Also, so far,

>the NASA predicted methane oceans of Titan have yet to be

>proven to exist beyond doubt. An ocean landing was supposedly

>so probable that Huygens was outfitted with flotation devices,

>but as we see it landed on what look like solid ground. NASA,

>not to be deterred, quickly stated that the methane MUST be

>under the surface of the ground.

Though I haven't had the time to follow this closely, I thought they've now

seen what appear to be methane oceans up close.

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