Multimedia Gallery - Image of rock-like objects taken by the Huygens probe during its descent to Titan's surface.

An image of rock-like objects on Titan's surface.

September 15, 2009

Image of rock-like objects taken by the Huygens probe during its descent to Titan's surface.

Image taken Jan. 14, 2005, by the European Space Agency's Huygens probe during its successful descent to land on Titan. This is a colored view image, following processing to add reflection spectra data, and gives a better indication of the actual color of the surface. The two rock-like objects just below the middle of the image are about 6 inches and about 1.5 inches across respectively, at a distance of about 33 inches 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 activity by rivers and streams. The image was taken with the Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer, one of two NASA instruments on the probe.

Credit: NASA/JPL/ESA/University of Arizona, http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA07232

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