No shallow magma ocean for Jupiter's moon Io

Io does not have a shallow global magma ocean beneath its surface, counter to previous claims, suggests a paper published in Nature.

The Biggest Crater on The Moon Is Much Bigger Than We Ever Realized

A new research suggests that the South Pole-Aitken basin may not have formed the way we thought, and may be much bigger than previous studies suggest – a discovery that has exciting implications for future lunar missions to the basin.

The Moons of Mars May Actually Be Fragments of Something Much Bigger

  • 27 Nov 2024

Martian moons could be a result of an early collision similar to that of Earth and Theia. This new model proposes an interesting middle way. Rather than an impact or direct capture, the authors propose a near miss by a large asteroid.

NASA's Europa Clipper Sails Toward Ocean Moon of Jupiter

NASA’s Europa Clipper has embarked on its long voyage to Jupiter, where it will investigate Europa, a moon with an enormous subsurface ocean that may have conditions to support life.

Possible Volcanic Moon Detected 635 Light-Years Away

A new NASA-led study suggests that a potential exomoon may be orbiting the exoplanet WASP-49 b, a gas giant located 635 light-years from Earth. The possible exomoon is believed to be rocky and volcanically active, similar to Jupiter's Io.

Unexpected Movement Deep Beneath The Moon's Surface

Researchers analyzed new data describing the Moon's rigidity under the gravitational influence of Earth and the Sun, finding its mass is unlikely to be solid all the way through.

Webb Detects Carbon Dioxide and Hydrogen Peroxide on Charon's Surface

Using data from the Near-Infrared Spectrograph onboard the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have detected carbon dioxide and hydrogen peroxide on the frozen surface of Pluto's moon Charon.

Jupiter's moon Io has a huge new volcano

Recent images reveal a newly formed volcano. It is complete with multiple expansive lava flows and surrounding volcanic deposits, spanning an area of approximately 180 by 180 km — an impressive addition to Io’s volatile surface.

The Moon had surprisingly recent volcanic activity

Volcanoes were erupting on the Moon as recently as 120 million years ago, evidence collected by a Chinese spacecraft suggests.

The Moon was once covered by an ocean of molten rock

The new study seems to confirm that molten magma covered the Moon's surface shortly after its formation.

Scientists Confirmed What's Inside The Moon

A thorough investigation published in May 2023 found that the inner core of the Moon is, in fact, a solid ball with a density similar to that of iron.

Europe's Gaia Telescope Spots Hundreds of Hidden, Lurking Moons

The European Space Agency's Gaia mission spotted hundreds of potential moons, orbiting around more than 350 previously unknown asteroids lurking within the solar system.

Uranus' moon Ariel may have a hidden ocean

New research has revealed that the surface of Uranus’ moon Ariel is coated with a significant amount of carbon dioxide ice, particularly on its trailing hemisphere, which always faces away from the moon’s direction of orbital motion. 

NASA Probe Spies Plumes Above Jupiter Moon's Lava Lakes

From around 2,400 miles away, the probe’s Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument “revealed that the whole surface of Io is covered by lava lakes contained in caldera-like features.

Waves of Methane Are Crashing on the Coasts of Saturn's Titan

Instead of water, the fluid that runs across Titan is an unholy mixture of methane, ethane, and other hydrocarbons. A new study suggests that waves of the greenhouse gases could be crashing on the moon’s coastlines, shaping its wet landscape.