Which is the only moon in our solar system known to have an atmosphere?

Titan (or Saturn VI) is the largest moon of Saturn. It is the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth where clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found. The picture is of Titan in natural color. The thick atmosphere is orange due to a dense organonitrogen haze.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

Test your knowledge

What are your thoughts on this subject?

44 Comments

William Laughlin

This is incorrect and obviously not researched or vetted very well. The Moon (Earth), Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto (Jupiter), Rhea, Dione, and Enceladus (Saturn), and Titania (Uranus) all have extremely thin atmospheres. Most of these are comprised of some mixture of oxygen, methane, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, or carbon monoxide – among others. https://futurism.com/the-atmospheres-on-our-moons

William Laughlin

fcowell Your information is not complete. This is what happens when submissions come from Wikipedia alone. Wikipedia is NOT THE BEST SOURCE of information. It is notoriously unreliable, but it is easy to use, which is why so many submissions reference it. In the future, it would serve all submitters and QuizzClub members well to find other reputable sources of information. Once more: PLEASE AVOID USING WIKIPEDIA AS A SOURCE FOR YOUR SUBMISSIONS!

Gery Tillmanns

They all have atmospheres. Thin, but they exist.

Dirk A Schnarr

Not technically true. Titan has the thickest atmosphere. https://futurism.com/the-atmospheres-on-our-moons

Zoë Lambert

William Laughlin, yes, I thought Europa had a denser atmosphere, around 3g/cm³ cf Titan, that weighs in around 2g/cm³ and the others weigh in less, but still measurable. I'm not an astrogeologist, but had a look at the interweb after my incorrect answer. The author's determinate definition of 'atmosphere' is ambiguous? (unlike QuizzClub, where it's largely genial! 😄)

Elsy O. Stromberg

Suzy Whoo, Other satellites are called moons too.

Tal Segal

Had he written "substantial atmosphere", it would have been a great question!

Lynda Flanger

Titan is only correct choice listed but not the only moon in solar system with atmosphere. Bad questio.n and horrible research.

John W Shreve

William Laughlin, Only YOU should be our source, right?

filmnut

I have a couple of semesters of College Astronomy; to include a couple of ‘labs’. Some of my first Boy Scout Merit Badges were Archery and Astronomy along with Camping, Cooking and Carpentry. I built or constructed many things. Reading was also in the first round. These led the way to my Star and Life Grades. I was very sorry that I didn’t continue on to become an ‘Eagle Scout” all though my “Ad Altari Dei” and “Order of the Arrow “ Awards were some of my most honorable achievements. It was like the fact that I never received “The Medal of Honor”, but was awarded “The Bronze Star” and “The Purple Heart w/ oak leaf” and my ‘CIB’. Some times certain things just aren’t meant to be. I don’t think any Soldier, Sailor, Airman or Marine can honestly say: “I set my sights on winning “The Medal”. I really don’t mean to go off on this tangent, but we who play this game are sometimes stymied by people who ‘Author questions that they have no idea what their talking about nor have “honest intentions” when they write them.

filmnut

I agree with “Bill”. Utopia is a moon with many of they features of “Earth” to include a ‘solid nickel core and trace oxygen atmosphere. Although it’s not organic in nature, it still has an atmosphere.