When you buy through links in our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn commission. An illustration shows the moon Ariel orbiting the ice giant Uranus. | Credit: Robert Lea (Created with Canva)/NASA Using the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), astronomers have discovered that Uranus’ moon Ariel may be hiding in a buried ocean… Read More »
New research has revealed that side-to-side sliding motion along distinctive “tiger stripes” on Saturn’s moon Enceladus is linked to jets of ice crystals erupting from its icy crust. The findings could help determine the properties of this icy moon in Saturn’s subsurface ocean and therefore whether Enceladus is habitable. Enceladus’ tiger stripes consist of four… Read More »
Saturn has 146 confirmed moons (more than any other planet in the solar system). However, the satellite called Enceladus stands out. It seems to have the ingredients for life. Cassini, a joint mission of NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Italian Space Agency, explored Saturn, its rings, and its moons from 2004 to 2017.… Read More »
This drawing of Europa shows how its icy surface can glow even on the night side because Jupiter is constantly bombarding it with radiation.NASA/JPL-Caltech NASA’s Juno mission found that Jupiter’s icy moon Europa produces 1,000 tons of oxygen every 24 hours. This amount is enough for one million people to breathe for a day, but… Read More »
Astronomers have discovered that Saturn’s small moon called Mimas may harbor a liquid ocean hidden beneath its thick icy crust and therefore have habitable conditions. This shocking finding radically changes the definition of what an ocean moon could be and could ultimately redefine our search for alien life on moons in the solar system. That’s… Read More »
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Astronomers have uncovered additional evidence that Mimas, one of Saturn’s smallest moons, hides a global ocean beneath its icy surface. Creating stronger evidence for the existence of water, which is essential for life as we… Read More »
Sign up for CNN’s Wonder Theory science newsletter. Explore the universe with news about fascinating discoveries, scientific advancements and more. Astronomers have uncovered additional evidence that Mimas, one of Saturn’s smallest moons, hides a global ocean beneath its icy surface. Creating stronger evidence for the existence of water, which is essential for life as we… Read More »
In October, NASA plans to launch a spacecraft onto the icy marble called Europa, one of Jupiter’s 92 known moons. The real purpose of the probe? To help scientists understand this Europe can support life as we know it. This robotic explorer is aptly named European ClipperAccording to the statement published by the agency on… Read More »