Kraken Mare
Encyclopedia
Kraken Mare is the largest known body of liquid
on the surface of Saturn
's moon Titan
. It was discovered in 2007 by the Cassini probe and was named in 2008 after the Kraken
, a legendary sea monster
.
Kraken Mare is believed to be the largest of numerous seas and lakes in Titan's north polar region. Its status as a sea of hydrocarbon
s was identified by radar imagery. Only a portion of the sea has been imaged by radar, but its wider extent is indicated in visible light images that indicate a larger expanse. Kraken Mare is believed to be similar in size to the Caspian Sea
.
An island in the sea is named Mayda Insula.
As part of the proposed Titan Saturn System Mission
, a probe would splash down on Kraken Mare in order to scrutinize its composition, depth and numerous other properties.
Lakes of Titan
The Lakes of Titan, a moon of Saturn, are bodies of liquid ethane and methane that have been detected by the Cassini–Huygens space probe, and had been suspected long before. The large ones are known as maria and the small ones as lacūs .-History:The possibility that there were hydrocarbon seas on...
on the surface of Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
's moon Titan
Titan (moon)
Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found....
. It was discovered in 2007 by the Cassini probe and was named in 2008 after the Kraken
Kraken
Kraken are legendary sea monsters of giant proportions said to have dwelt off the coasts of Norway and Iceland.In modern German, Krake means octopus but can also refer to the legendary Kraken...
, a legendary sea monster
Sea monster
Sea monsters are sea-dwelling mythical or legendary creatures, often believed to be of immense size.Marine monsters can take many forms, including sea dragons, sea serpents, or multi-armed beasts. They can be slimy or scaly and are often pictured threatening ships or spouting jets of water...
.
Kraken Mare is believed to be the largest of numerous seas and lakes in Titan's north polar region. Its status as a sea of hydrocarbon
Hydrocarbon
In organic chemistry, a hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon. Hydrocarbons from which one hydrogen atom has been removed are functional groups, called hydrocarbyls....
s was identified by radar imagery. Only a portion of the sea has been imaged by radar, but its wider extent is indicated in visible light images that indicate a larger expanse. Kraken Mare is believed to be similar in size to the Caspian Sea
Caspian Sea
The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the world's largest lake or a full-fledged sea. The sea has a surface area of and a volume of...
.
An island in the sea is named Mayda Insula.
As part of the proposed Titan Saturn System Mission
Titan Saturn System Mission
Titan Saturn System Mission was a joint NASA/ESA proposal for an exploration of Saturn and its moons Titan and Enceladus, where many complex phenomena have been revealed by the recent Cassini–Huygens mission...
, a probe would splash down on Kraken Mare in order to scrutinize its composition, depth and numerous other properties.