Let’s see what the weather is on Titan today…. Will there be methane precipitation, or will it be clouded by ethane?
The James Webb Telescope from N.A.S.A never ceases to astound astronomers. It is so strong that it can view one of Saturn’s seas and its clouds in addition to the moon Titan.
You would be surprised to learn that when we discuss the moon Titan, we use terms like oceans, rains, clouds, and even rivers and lakes. Along with Earth, it is the only location in the Solar System where they exist. However, they are made of hydrocarbons, such as ethane, methane, and others, not water. It is unhealthy for people to be there.
A few days ago, a team of astronomers led by the Dutch professor Imke de Pater made the decision to start an experiment: watch Titan with the James Webb telescope one day and the Keck ground-based telescope in Hawaii the next.
The James Webb is so strong that it can engulf Titan seas and even clouds. However, it should be noted that the Keck spotting scope may also accomplish this. Here are the two pictures, which were snapped 30 hours apart:
The pictures are remarkably similar. A few clouds that have shifted a little bit may be seen, as well as a methane sea at the north pole.
However, what distinguishes N.A.S.A’s James Webb is that it is also an infrared telescope and can collect data that no other telescope can.
Here, we can see two clouds and the Kraken Sea in the conventional image on the right, and the infrared image taken by James Webb’s NIRCam camera on the left.
The James Webb telescope offers data on the lower atmosphere and the height of the clouds, among other things, which no other telescope can match.
Astronomers have combined all the data to produce the most comprehensive knowledge about the moon Titan since the Cassini mission visited it in 2017.
They won’t be surpassed until 2032, when the Dragonfly probe travels to Titan. The James Webb telescope will keep mesmerizing us in the meantime with its astounding photos that are redefining astronomy.
Soucre: blog.thespaceacademy.org
