What’s behind Saturn moon’s icy wet curtains?

Nasa's veteran Cassini spacecraft is on course for a daring encounter with Saturn's moon Enceladus on 28 October. It will pass the icy moon at an altitude of just under 30 miles.

Enceladus is the sixth largest moon of Saturn, orbiting the planet at a distance of 147,886 miles from its centre. It has intrigued scientists since 2005 when Cassini recorded plumes of water jetting from its south pole. The close pass next week is designed to make Cassini plunge through these vapour curtains.