Saturn moon spewing water vapour

One of Saturn's moons, Enceladus, is seen in an image captured by the Voyager 2 satellite. Enceladus is spewing out a giant plume of water vapour that is probably feeding one of the Saturn's rings, scientists said on Thursday. PHOTO: Reuters

The findings, published in the journal Science, suggest that tiny Enceladus could have a liquid ocean under its icy surface which in theory could sustain primitive life, similar to Jupiter's moon Europa. The plume was spotted by Cassini, a joint US-European spacecraft that is visiting Saturn.

"We realise that this is a radical conclusion -- that we may have evidence for liquid water within a body so small and so cold," said Carolyn Porco, Cassini imaging team leader at Space Science Institute in Boulder, Colorado.

"However, if we are right, we have significantly broadened the diversity of solar system environments where we might possibly have conditions suitable for living organisms."

Scientists have long known that many of Saturn's moons have water. They took an especially close look at Enceladus because it seemed to have a smooth surface -- suggesting recent geological activity that, in turn, could mean liquid water.