This artist’s concept shows the possible source of geysers of water and ice that are erupting from the south pole of Enceladus, an icy moon of Saturn. Hydrothermal vents (orange streaks) may squirt hot, mineral-rich water into a buried ocean that covers the entire moon. The heat helps punch channels in the icy crust that overlays the ocean, creating paths for ocean material to escape into space. The presence of the ocean and the hydrothermal vents could make Enceladus a good home for microscopic life. [NASA/JPL/Caltech]
Find out more in our radio program entitled Moon and Saturn.