Astronomy: The Science of the Heavenly BodiesTodd, David P. (David Peck)
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Astronomy: The Science of the Heavenly Bodies
Todd, David P. (David Peck)
Astronomy
A century ago, when the ring of Saturn was believed to be a continuous
plane, this was a favorite corner of the solar system for speculation as
to habitability; but now that we know the true constitution of the
rings, no one would for a moment consider any such possibility.
Conditions may, however, be quite different with Saturn's huge satellite
Titan, the giant moon of the solar system. Its diameter makes it
approximately the size of the planet Mars; and although it is much
farther removed from the sun, its relative nearness to the highly
heated globe of Saturn may provide that equability of temperature which
is essential to life processes.
Also the three inner Galilean moons of Jupiter, especially III which is
about the size of Titan, are excellently placed for life possibilities,
as far as probable temperature is concerned, but we have of course no
basis for surmising what their conditions may be as to air and water,
except that their small mass would indicate a probable deficiency of
those elements.
Uranus and Neptune are planets so remote, and their apparent disks are
so small, that very little is known about their physical condition. They
are each about one-third the diameter of Jupiter, and the spectrum of
Uranus shows broad diffused bands, indicating strong absorption by a
dense atmosphere very different from that of the earth. Indications are
that Neptune has a similar atmosphere.
It is possible that the denser atmospheres of these remote planets may
be so conditioned as to selective absorption that the relatively slender
supply of solar heat may be conserved, and thus insure a relatively high
surface temperature when the sun comes into control. If our theories of
origin of the planets are to be trusted, we may rather suppose that
Uranus and Neptune are still in a highly heated condition; that life has
not yet made its appearance on them, but that it will begin its
development ages before Saturn and Jupiter have cooled to the requisite
temperature.
Comets? In his _Lettres Cosmologiques_ (1765) Lambert considers the
question of habitability of the comets, naturally enough in his day,
because he thought them solid bodies surrounded by atmosphere, and
related to the planets. The extremes of temperature at perihelia and
aphelia to which comets are subjected did not bother him particularly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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