A probe Cassini flew 25 kilometers away from the satellite of Saturn

On Thursday, the ninth of October, the space probe Cassini approached to record a small distance to one of the satellites of Saturn - Enceladus, he was just 25 kilometers above the surface, reports Washington Post. Chamber staff have been sent to the area of gas plumes, which Cassini discovered back in 2005, while on board equipment must be made a direct analysis of the substance.

Vyryvayuschiesya of cracks in the crust satellite plumes are composed mainly of ice crystal and water vapor - and it is believed that in the future vybroshennaya Enceladus mass involved in the formation of the Rings of Saturn.

The presence of liquid water is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the existence of life. It is for this reason that liquid water, looking particularly active - as opposed to just water ice deposits on Mars which have recently been investigated Martian probe "Phoenix".