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May 31, 2017

Cassini images suggest asteroid strike forced Enceladus poles to shift

Posted by in categories: asteroid/comet impacts, existential risks

NASA has announced that asteroid strikes may have tipped over Saturn’s icy, ocean-bearing moon Enceladus. Researchers came to the conclusion after analysing the latest images and data from Cassini.

Researchers say they have enough evidence to suggest the moon’s spin axis – the line through the north and south poles – reoriented from its original position due to a collision with a smaller body, most likely an asteroid. The shift from its original axis is by 55 degrees, more than halfway rolling completely onto its side.

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