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Overview

The Huygens results

Highlights of ESA’s Huygens mission

After a seven-year journey on board the NASA/ESA/ASI Cassini spacecraft, ESA’s Huygens probe was released on 25 December 2004. It reached the upper layer of Titan's atmosphere on 14 January 2005 and landed on the surface after a parachute descent of 2 hours and 28 minutes.

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Huygens probe descending through Titan's atmosphere

Titan’s turbulence surprises scientists

Strong turbulence in the upper atmosphere, a second ionospheric layer and possible lightning were among the surprises found by the Huygens Atmospheric Structure Instrument (HASI) during the descent to Titan’s surface.

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Rain, winds and haze during the descent to Titan

The high-resolution images taken in Titan's atmosphere by the Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR) were spectacular, but not the only surprises obtained during descent. Both DISR and the Doppler Wind Experiment data have given Huygens scientists much to think about.

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Tide out on Titan? A soft solid surface for Huygens

The Surface Science Package (SSP) revealed that Huygens could have hit and cracked an ice ‘pebble’ on landing, and then it slumped into a sandy surface possibly dampened by liquid methane. Had the tide on Titan just gone out?

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First 'in situ' composition measurements made in Titan's atmosphere

Unique results from the Aerosol Collector and Pyrolyser (ACP) and the Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) have given scientists their first in situ chemical data on Titan's atmosphere, including aerosols, chemical composition and isotopes.

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Last update: 30 November 2005

At Saturn and Titan

Looking at Mars

Predicting the weather on Titan?Highlights of ESA’s Huygens mission Titan’s turbulence surprises scientists Rain, winds and haze during the descent to Titan Tide out on Titan? A soft solid surface for Huygens First 'in situ' composition measurements made in Titan's atmosphere Huygens 3D animation of Titan's surface Huygens landing site animation