Titanically Housebound
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:07 am
Titanically Housebound
Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, has a dense atmosphere that protects from radiation, and may therefore be a better off- Earth destination for humans to colonise than Mars.
Now, there’s a thought that’s guaranteed to frighten.
Imagine starting life again on Titan,
Spinning silently ’round Saturn?
If we must transfer the baton
To another world, it has to be the right ’un.
The liquid filling Titan’s streams and creeks
Is methane. They are quite outrageous freaks,
And it splashes off a boulder
Made of ice, for Titan’s colder
Than planet Earth by days, or even weeks.
Now, Titan has a heavy atmosphere.
It’s mostly nitrogen, but have no fear.
It wards off radiation.
That’s a happy situation.
Of course, you’ll need to carry breathing gear.
Scientists are worried and annoyed
An asteroid might strike us from the void.
We would all succumb from cold
Like the dinosaurs of old.
I’ll take my chances with the asteroid.
I do not want a moon, or distant planet.
I feel at home with water, earth and granite.
If they’re heading for the stars –
Be it Titan, be it Mars –
They can text another phone for crew to man it.
© Stephen Whiteside 20.02.2018
Titan, one of Saturn’s moons, has a dense atmosphere that protects from radiation, and may therefore be a better off- Earth destination for humans to colonise than Mars.
Now, there’s a thought that’s guaranteed to frighten.
Imagine starting life again on Titan,
Spinning silently ’round Saturn?
If we must transfer the baton
To another world, it has to be the right ’un.
The liquid filling Titan’s streams and creeks
Is methane. They are quite outrageous freaks,
And it splashes off a boulder
Made of ice, for Titan’s colder
Than planet Earth by days, or even weeks.
Now, Titan has a heavy atmosphere.
It’s mostly nitrogen, but have no fear.
It wards off radiation.
That’s a happy situation.
Of course, you’ll need to carry breathing gear.
Scientists are worried and annoyed
An asteroid might strike us from the void.
We would all succumb from cold
Like the dinosaurs of old.
I’ll take my chances with the asteroid.
I do not want a moon, or distant planet.
I feel at home with water, earth and granite.
If they’re heading for the stars –
Be it Titan, be it Mars –
They can text another phone for crew to man it.
© Stephen Whiteside 20.02.2018