Cassini Discovers First River On Another World 230
AbsoluteXyro writes "NASA's Cassini orbiter, which has been dutifully exploring the Saturn system since 2004, has captured images of the first river ever observed on another world — and it's a biggun. 200 miles of flowing hydrocarbons meandering down a valley in the north polar region of Saturn's moon Titan, emptying into the awesomely named Kraken Mare — itself a body of liquid roughly the size of the Mediterranean Sea back on Earth. But don't think of going for an extraterrestrial skinny dip quite yet, temperatures on Titan average a brutally cold 290 degrees below zero (Fahrenheit)."
No running. (Score:5, Funny)
Diving permitted at deep end only.
NO SMOKING.
A literal sea of hydrocarbons? (Score:5, Funny)
Next up on Fox News - Terrorists on Saturn's moon are out to destroy America! Support out troops! Praise the lord and pass the ammunition!
Re:A literal sea of hydrocarbons? (Score:2, Funny)
Next up on CNN: Are the Tea-Partiers responsible for the erosion damage on Saturn's largest moon?
Re:Metric system, please (Score:5, Funny)
... are you stupid? Of course they use proper units.
This is a press release intended for the general public.
You'd think so, but tell that to the Mars Climate Orbiter which was expecting SI units but instead was given horses per submarine per twatwaffle or some other such ancient unit and took a steep dive into the atmosphere and burned up.
No one blaming BP? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:A literal sea of hydrocarbons? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Metric system, please (Score:5, Funny)
I couldn't even tell you how high the temperature is right now, as my thermometer is laying on its side. I can only give you its length.
Re:Oil may not be a fossil fuel then? (Score:5, Funny)
That's not what my Bible says. Where are you getting your information?
Re:Fahrenheit? (Score:4, Funny)
No no, c'mon, don't be rude, he meant Kelvins, the rather underused temperature scale of lower Kyrgyzstan, first coined in 1552 by scientist and British transpat Sir Howie Rudestash Kelvins. 0 degrees Kelvins is defined as the freezing point of that congestion you get from too many fish and chips cooked in tallow, and 100 degrees is defined as the point where spotted dick catches fire.
Really, this should be well known. Personally, I blame public schools.
Re:Fahrenheit? (Score:5, Funny)
How is Celsius worse than Fahrenheit in this situation?
I imagine it would be because Celsius is harder to determine due to the wooshing sound going on.