Surprisingly eartth-like
Only a few days ago, Cassini flew by Titan for the 103rd time, collecting even more data for analysis. This distant alien world, over a billion kilometers from us, has proved to be full of surprises and it has turned out to have some fascinating similarities to Earth.
Lakes and rivers
Detailed research using radar has shown that parts of Titan's surface are covered with a vast network of lakes, and even flowing rivers – this is the only place outside Earth where surface liquid has been discovered. However, Titan is a chilly -179 degrees centigrade, far too cold for liquid water to exist – instead, the lakes and rivers contain not water but liquid methane and ethane.
Rainy weather!
Even the weather on Titan has similarities to Earth - it experiences rain (hydrocarbons not water), and winds. Cassini's instruments are so sensitive that it has even been able to detect ripples on the surface of the lakes.
Apart from the data collected remotely by the Cassini spacecraft, incredibly the mission has also been able to examine the surface at close quarters and collect direct samples of the atmosphere., via the Huygens lander, which was carried on Cassini and parachuted onto Titan's surface in 2005. This was a major achievement, the first ever landing of a man-made object onto a body in the outer solar system.
1. NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
2. NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASI/USGS
3. NASA/JPL-Caltech
http://news.discovery.com/space/cassini-spies-titans-undulating-dunes-140408.htm
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn23008-nilelike-river-roves-across-saturns-moon-titan.html#.U6f0lrEcYnJ
http://www.space.com/25186-cassini-spies-titan-waves.html
http://www.iau.org/news/pressreleases/detail/Iau0915/: International Astronomical Union - 'Surface featurs on Titan form like Earth's but with a frigid twist
http://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/science/index.cfm?SciencePageID=73 - Cassini Mission's page about Titan