Titan's Lakes

Titan is Saturn's biggest moon. It is the only moon we know that has liquid on its surface. But Titan's lakes are not made of water. They are filled with liquid methane and ethane, which are gases on Earth. These lakes make Titan a very strange place.

Lakes of Liquid Gas

Titan is so cold that methane and ethane turn into liquid. These are fuels we use on Earth to heat homes. Titan has rivers, lakes, and even seas of them. The biggest sea is called Kraken Mare. It is larger than any of the Great Lakes in North America.

How We Know

A spacecraft called Cassini flew around Saturn for many years. It took pictures of Titan through its thick, orange clouds. Cassini used radar to see the lakes on the ground. A small lander called Huygens even touched down on Titan in 2005. It was the farthest landing ever made in our solar system.

Fun Facts

• Titan is bigger than the planet Mercury.
• It rains liquid methane on Titan.
• Titan has a thick atmosphere, just like Earth.

Did You Know?

If you could visit Titan with wings on your arms, you might be able to flap them and fly because of the thick air and low gravity.