DISR Image of Titan's Surface
Date: 14 January 2005
Satellite: Huygens
Depicts: Titan's surface
Copyright: ESA/NASA/JPL/University of Arizona
This raw image was returned 14 January 2005, by ESA's Huygens probe during its successful descent to land on Titan. Sizes have been added to indicate the scale of the features. Initially thought to be rocks or ice blocks, they are more pebble-sized.
The two rock-like objects just below the middle of the image are about 15 centimetres (left) and 4 centimetres (centre) across respectively, at a distance of about 85 centimetres from Huygens.
The surface is darker than originally expected, consisting of a mixture of water and hydrocarbon ice. There is also evidence of erosion at the base of these objects, indicating possible fluvial activity.
The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project between NASA, ESA and Italy's ASI space agency.
