The Sierra Titanics!

~Here's some interesting science news: the Cassini spacecraft, which has been orbiting Saturn for over two years now, has discovered a mountain range on Titan. Titan is the second-largest satellite in the solar system (it's larger than the planet Mercury), and is the most Earth-like place in the solar system...aside from Earth, of course.

Just like Earth, Titan's atmosphere is mostly nitrogen, although Titan is much, much colder (-288°F) than Earth. Think of Titan as a miniature Earth that's been deep-frozen.

^ A composite, false-color map of Titan's surface, infrared superimposed over radar imaging. The surface of Titan was a mystery to astronomers for many years, because thick clouds obscure the planet's surface (much like Venus). Cassini uses a a combination of infrared and radar imaging to peer through the clouds and reveal surface features.

If you aren't impressed by that, let me restate it for you: a masterpiece of human science and engineering is, at this very moment, creating detailed maps of an alien word over 890 million miles away.

^ The mountain chain on Titan is composed of icy rock and is over 100 miles long. With an average height of about a mile, they aren't the tallest mountains in the solar system, but they are a fascinating geological feature on a world so similar to our own. They also seem to be covered with bright patches that may be organic chemicals such as methane snow. Who's up for skiing?

Their general size and shape is akin to the Sierra Nevada mountains along the California border. Thus I propose the name "Sierra Titanics" for these mountains...which would also be a good name for a rock band. Or a sports team. ~Oyasumi!