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To: cogitator

Oh, then why do we get clear shots of the Earth?


13 posted on 10/25/2004 9:42:43 AM PDT by nascartex
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To: nascartex
Oh, then why do we get clear shots of the Earth?

Good question -- the answer is that Earth's atmosphere is clearer than Titan's. From what astronomers/planetary scientists have figured out thus far about Titan, the atmosphere is partially composed of a liquid hydrocarbon, and other stuff like ammonia, "fog". The reason is that the moon is so cold that gases like methane and ethane are near their condensation point. It's not completely opaque, but it's pretty thick.

Titan, Saturn's Smog Moon

" Titan's thick cloudy atmosphere is mostly nitrogen, like Earth's, but contains much higher percentages of "smog-like" chemicals such as methane and ethane. The smog may be so thick that it actually rains "gasoline-like" liquids."

I.e., don't light a match!

18 posted on 10/25/2004 9:49:09 AM PDT by cogitator
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To: nascartex
Oh, then why do we get clear shots of the Earth?

Do we? Here is a picture of Earth taken from orbit. Can you figure out which continent we are looking at?


32 posted on 10/25/2004 11:24:23 AM PDT by FreedomCalls (It's the "Statue of Liberty," not the "Statue of Security.")
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