A new ocean has recently been discovered in the most surprising place in our solar system, scientists said Wednesday.

Mimas, a medium-sized icy moon orbiting Saturn, is one of the last places scientists thought to look to find a global ocean, the authors wrote in a research paper. ing. published Published in Nature magazine. Moons that carry or may carry oceans are actually quite common in the solar system, but are usually manifested by “surface changes due to internal dynamics.”

Mimas is “too geologically inert” to exhibit the same internal dynamics, such as water splashing inside, one researcher said. analysis Research by Alexandra Witze. But apparently the science was wrong.

One of Saturn's moons could be your next destination https://t.co/jyGn5RAb3n

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Analysis of data captured by the Cassini spacecraft between 2004 and 2017 shows Mimas' global ocean is likely hidden some 20-30 kilometers (12-18 miles) beneath its surface. A cratered ice shell was revealed. Further analysis suggests that this potential ocean is less than 25 million years old and is still evolving.

Mimas is only about 400 kilometers (248.5 miles) wide and wobbles a bit as it orbits Saturn. This suggests either a buried ocean or a rugby ball-shaped core. But as more scientists studied its activities, the truth became clear: scientists would need bigger ships. (Related: Scientists discover heat-emitting blob on the far side of the moon)

“We're happy to be able to move Mimas from the 'probably ocean world' category to the 'yes, it really could be an ocean satellite' category,” said the planetary science specialist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. home Alyssa Rhoden said. similar results In her own research on Mimas. “There's no such thing as a boring satellite,” she says. And I couldn't agree more.

If these months are even numbers genuineThat is.