Researchers at the University of Warwick are exploring whether snow satellites, millions of miles away, can shelter life forms. There is an assumption that life can be preserved in the oceans hidden under the ice crust in satellites orbiting Jupiter and Saturn.
A vivid example is Enceladus - the 6th largest moon of Saturn. This is an ice ball with snow, where the temperature at noon rises to -198 ° C.
Such conditions seem, to put it mildly, not hospitable. But the presence of a huge amount of water (capable of serving as a home for microbes) under the icy surface still gives hope, because it can protect life from harmful UV radiation. Constant mixing of water with varying temperature and pressure, as well as the presence of hydrothermal vents, help maintain life. If this is so, then the snow satellites of Saturn and Jupiter cannot be overlooked. In our system, these are the most interesting objects to explore.
In 2005, the Cassini apparatus flew past Enceladus, sending a detailed description of the surface and environment. He noted the presence of jets ejected from the southern polar region.
