The moons of planets that have no parent star can possess an atmosphere and retain…
Browsing: Moons
Moons are natural satellites that orbit planets, dwarf planets, and even some asteroids throughout our solar system and beyond. These celestial bodies come in an incredible range of sizes, compositions, and geological activity, from Earth’s familiar Moon to the volcanic Io of Jupiter and the ice-encrusted ocean worlds like Europa and Enceladus. Scientists study moons to uncover clues about planetary formation, the potential for extraterrestrial life, and the dynamic processes that shape celestial bodies. Ongoing research and missions continue to reveal surprising discoveries about moons’ atmospheres, surfaces, and hidden oceans, offering key insights into the history and evolution of our solar system.
NASA has selected two new Venus missions, DAVINCI and VERITAS, as part of its Discovery…
The spacecraft flew closer to Jupiter’s largest moon than any other in more than two…
The first of the gas-giant orbiter’s back-to-back flybys will provide a close encounter with the…
Jupiter’s moon Europa has an icy crust covering a vast, global ocean. The rocky layer…
The IVO mission would use Io’s volcanic fury to unlock secrets of tidal heating and…
Enceladus’s hidden ocean may have Earth-like currents driven by salinity differences. Buried beneath 20 kilometers…
Layers of ice and rock obviate the need for “habitable zone” and shield life against…
Phobos and Deimos are the remains of a larger Martian moon that was disrupted between…
Saturn’s Moons, Led by Titan, Are Slowly Tilting the Planet Two scientists from CNRS and…
Martian ions have been embedding in Phobos’ near side for billions of years. A sample…
Titan’s Kraken Mare: A Methane Sea of Mystery Far below the gaseous atmospheric shroud on…
Models Point to a Potentially Diverse Metabolic Menu at Enceladus Using data from NASA’s Cassini…
What causes the weathering of the Mars moon Phobos? Results from the Vienna University of…
The first mining experiments conducted in space could pave the way for new technologies to…
A new model shows how brine on Jupiter’s moon Europa can migrate within the icy…
New lab experiments re-create the environment of Europa and find that the icy moon shines,…
A new chronology for the moons of Saturn has been developed by Planetary Science Institute…