Liquid water on Enceladus.

Geysers! Go, go Cassini!

"The jets might be erupting from near-surface pockets of liquid water about 0 degrees Celsius," the report said. While other moons in the solar system have liquid-water oceans buried kilometres below the surface, Saturn's reserve may only be meters below, scientist Andrew Ingersoll said of the discovery. That conclusion has scientists and astronomers in a giddy mood of excitement.

"We previously knew of at most three places where active volcanism exists: Jupiter's moon Io, Earth, and possibly Neptune's moon Triton," Cassini scientist John Spencer said in the release. "Cassini changed all that, making Enceladus the latest member of this very exclusive club, and one of the most exciting places in the solar system."

(previously)