Ethane Clouds Spotted On Titan

Titan, the future OPEC of the solar system appears to have ethane clouds floating above the north pole. Scientists are speculating whether or not these clouds could produce ethane rain and even snow.

(New Scientist Space) A giant cloud of ethane has been found near Titan's north pole. The finding suggests that ethane rain or snow could accumulate around the moon's poles, partially accounting for Titan's missing ethane oceans. [...]

"We think that ethane is raining or, if temperatures are cool enough, snowing on the north pole right now," Griffith says. "When the seasons switch, we expect ethane to condense at the south pole during its winter."

Titan was previously thought to hold vast oceans, although scientists were surprised to find the surface to be "very sandy" in nature.

The discovery of possible methane lakes near the poles helped raise the value of this cloudy moon, although it may take some time to exploit Titan with it being a billion and a half kilometers away.



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