A new study finds that Saturn's cloud-covered moon Titan is more Earth-like than previously thought.

Size, Distance, and Orbit.

The radius of Titan is about 1,600 miles making it smaller than half the size of Earth (3,963 miles) but larger than the Earth's moon (1,079.6 miles).

Only Jupiter's satellite Ganymede is larger in diameter.

Light from the Sun takes about 80 minutes to reach Titan; because of the distance, sunlight is about 100 times fainter at Saturn and Titan than at Earth.

By Space.com Staff 06 August 2009. Because of this, sunlight … Europa and Titan: Oceans in the Outer Solar System? This image compares streaked terrain on Titan and Mars. Titan's atmosphere has layers, just like Earth's, scientists say. Data from the European Space Agency’s Huygens probe, which parachuted through Titan’s murky atmosphere in January, will determine if the abundance of argon exceeds that of methane. NASA Science Solar System Exploration. Titan revolves around Saturn at an average distance of 759,000 miles while the planet revolves around the Sun at an average distance of 886 million miles. 10.28.04. Observations of Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter, have led some to believe it could potentially hold extraterrestrial life . Titan is the second-largest satellite in the solar system.

At left is an image from Cassini of the region where the Huygens probe is expected to land. Frequently described as a planet-like moon, Titan is 50% larger than Earth's moon and 80% more massive.

Differences Between The Two Moons Similarities Between the Two Moons Titan has lakes of methane Earth's Moon has craters Titan has a thick atmosphere & Earth's Moon has a very light atmosphere Titan has weather like methane rain Titans has landscape like mountains Titan might be Text Size. One AU is the distance from Earth to the Sun. Titan is not the only moon in the Solar System with Earth-like qualities. The surface gravity on Earth is #9.807 "m/s"^2# and the surface gravity on Titan is #1.353 "m"//"s"^2# So the difference between these two gravitational bodies is around: Difference in Gravity #="Earth's Gravity"/"Titan's Gravity" # #9.807/1.353 = 7.248 ~= 7.3 # Meaning that the gravity on Titan is about 7.3 times weaker than on Earth. It is the only moon known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only known body in space, other than Earth, where clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found. Titan Vs. Mars. Titans gravity is so weak and it's atmosphere is so thick that if you were to jump and flap your arms like wings you could actually fly into space.

Skip Navigation. At right is a picture from NASA's Viking 1 orbiter, showing streaks on Mars caused by winds blowing from right to left. The thick organic haze that shrouds Titan is similar to what we had here on Earth billions of years ago; an environment that might have helped early life get a foothold. Titan is not the only moon in the Solar System with Earth-like qualities. Titan is actually larger than the planet Mercury and is almost as large as Mars.. NASA. About 0.14g, roughly the same as the Moons. Titan: A World Much Like Earth. Like Earth, Titan’s atmosphere is primarily composed of nitrogen, but unlike Earth, one of the most abundant constituents is methane (CH4). It is the second-largest moon in the Solar System after Jupiter's moon Ganymede, and is larger than the planet Mercury, but only 40% as massive. Observations of Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter, have led some to believe it could potentially hold extraterrestrial life . Titan is the sixth gravitationally rounded moon from Saturn. Titan is the sixth gravitationally rounded moon from Saturn. Shares.

Titan is the largest moon of Saturn and the second-largest natural satellite in the Solar System. Walter S. Kiefer, Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston TX Originally published in Space Science Reference Guide, Second Edition, Lunar and Planetary Institute, 2003. It takes 80 minutes for the light to travel from the Sun to Titan.