Huygens probe at Titan, artwork. The probe is entering the atmosphere of Titan, the largest moon of Saturn (ringed planet at upper left). The 1. 3-met

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Huygens probe at Titan, artwork. The probe is entering the atmosphere of Titan, the largest moon of Saturn (ringed planet at upper left). The 1. 3-metre-wide probe, protected by a heat shield, was brought to Titan by the Cassini spacecraft (launched in 1997, not seen). The Huygens probe entered Titan's atmosphere on 14 January 2005. After the probe's atmospheric entry, a parachute was used to bring it safely to the surface. The probe found that Titan's atmosphere is mainly nitrogen with clouds of methane and ethane. The surface is a mixture of water and hydrocarbon ice.

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Size: 3509px × 4988px
Photo credit: © RICHARD BIZLEY/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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