No Spacesuit Necessary | Jennifer Jones

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With a hazy methane rich atmosphere,

No spacesuit necessary, in near Earth pressure.

Simply, a mask protecting lungs from asphyxiation

in the mostly nitrogen air.

Boots squish into solid ethane, any icy gravel.

Methane rains down into creaks, rivers, lakes.

Seas of methane slowly evaporate

for ultraviolet light to rend it apart,

a swirling thick orange smog

blocking sunlight, dimming the young fresh surface.

Cryovolcanoes spew water and ammonia.

Still no spacesuit necessary.

No need to traverse Titan in a sealed pressurized system,

just an exceedingly warm coat,

to fight negative 300 Fahrenheit.

Wander methane eroded ethane river deltas,

ridges, plains, chasms, hills.

Stroll along the banks of Ligeia Mare,

hike the Xanadu Plateau,

see the wonders of Titan,

All without a spacesuit.


Jennifer Jones currently lives in Colorado with her husband and child. She teaches Astronomy at Arapahoe Community College. As a scientist, she enjoys blending science and data into her work.

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