Sixth Rock from the Sun: Potentially Giant Surf Could Be the Norm on Saturn Moon
If you’ve Googled yourself to death scrolling the world for new surf spots, then get ready to search the final frontier: space. And we have to look no further than the sixth rock from the sun and the second largest in our solar system, {{{Saturn}}}. Scientists announced March 13 the discovery of large “bodies of water” estimated to be the same size as the Caspian Sea on its largest moon, {{{Titan}}}.
You know what that means. If there’s a large body of water, there’s gotta be waves, right? But how big? Does the wind blow 5 miles an hour or 500 miles an hour? Do the waves max at 60 feet in the winter or {{{300}}}? Is the water even … water?
Our sources say, “no.” The fluid is most likely a combination of the liquid gases ethane and methane. So that pops that daydream. On the bright side, if there are waves, they’re probably 10 times larger than here on Earth simply because the wind fetches could potentially be 10 times longer than those found on our planet.
Titan itself is mostly ice and rock and has a very thick atmosphere. Because gravity is seven times that of Earth, any wind-produced waves would travel differently than they do here, perhaps (for all you hippies) even in slow motion. Although not much is known about surface winds on Titan, scientists suggest the sustained wind to be relatively low.
Of course this is all speculation, and we’re no scientists. But we do know this: the next time you’re staring down your home break and it’s dead flat, it’s probably bigger on Saturn.