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> Ice volcano on Triton

Ice volcano on Triton

author: Walter B. Myers/Novapix

reference: a-nep99-00024

Image Size 300 DPI: 33 * 25 cm

There is evidence that the south pole of Neptune's satellite Triton is host to dozens of ice volcanoes, or geysers. One such eruption was observed to shoot a towering jet of material to a height of five miles, while the tenuous nitrogen atmosphere carried the smoky plume over 80 miles "downwind." The eruptive material is believed to be a combination of liquid nitrogen, dust, and methane compounds driven by seasonal heating from the Sun.

Keywords for this photo:

ASTRONOMY - ERUPTION - GEYSER - ICE - ILLUSTRATION - NEPTUNE'S MOON - SATELLITE - TRITON - VOLCANO -