Enceladus

High school (ages 12+)
Space & Astronomy

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/enceladus

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Who discovered Enceladus?Detection of active cryovolcanic plumes and a subsurface liquid water ocean
2. What is the scientific name?Saturn XXXI
3. What is the diameter?Approximately 500 kilometers (310 miles)
4. Why does Enceladus shoot water into space?The moon has a hidden ocean under its ice, and heat from Saturn’s gravity melts the ice and creates geysers called tiger stripes that spew water vapor and ice into space.
5. How many geysers does Enceladus have?Scientists have seen more than 100 geysers, each ejecting about 200 kilograms of material every second.

Albedo: The measure of the diffuse reflection of solar radiation, showing how reflective a surface is.
Cryovolcanism: Volcanic activity where the eruption products are volcanic 'ice' (volatiles like water, ammonia, methane) rather than molten rock.
Orbital Resonance: A phenomenon where two or more orbiting bodies exert a regular, periodic gravitational influence on each other.
Hydrothermal Activity: Geological activity involving heated water, often found at the ocean floor, which can support unique life forms.