In 2005 the European Huygens probe landed on Saturn's moon Titan and (provided) an unprecedented look at the surface. But what happened in the first seconds after touchdown wasn't clear.

Now a re-analysis of Huygens sensor data has (reconstructed) the bouncing, skidding moments before the probe came to rest on Titan—apparently on top of a small rock. The report is in the journal Planetary and Space Science.

The parachuting probe hit the surface of Titan at about 10 miles per hour. According to the new study, the impact created a hole in the ground a few inches deep. But Huygens (bounced) out and slid across the surface before coming to rest with a wobble. The sliding motion implies that Titan's surface was a bit like (damp) sand. And the speed of the probe's wobble suggests that Huygens bumped against a rock less than an inch across.

Again, that's a reconstruction based on sensor data, but the (researchers) contend it's a likely scenario. Regardless, it makes a nice story. Like the Princess and the Pea.