https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/jupiter/ Jupiter Research. From Hubble's latest pictures of Jupiter's new red spot to astronomy articles on Jupiter's moons, learn all the Jupiter facts here. en-us Fri, 13 Mar 2026 23:54:59 EDT Fri, 13 Mar 2026 23:54:59 EDT 60 https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/jupiter/ For more science news, visit ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260302030646.htm Icy moons circling the outer planets may be far more dynamic—and explosive—than they appear. New research suggests that when heat from tidal forces melts their ice shells from below, the sudden drop in pressure could cause hidden oceans to boil beneath the surface. On smaller moons like Enceladus, Mimas, and Miranda, this process may help explain strange features such as Enceladus’ tiger stripes and Miranda’s towering cliffs. Mon, 02 Mar 2026 03:54:10 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/03/260302030646.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260228093443.htm Jupiter’s icy moons may have been seeded with the chemical ingredients for life from the very beginning. An international team of scientists modeled how complex organic molecules—essential building blocks for biology—could have formed in the swirling disk of gas and dust around the young Sun and later been carried into Jupiter’s own moon-forming disk. Their results suggest that up to half of the icy material that built moons like Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto may have delivered freshly made organic compounds without being chemically destroyed. Sun, 01 Mar 2026 07:06:01 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260228093443.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260227071945.htm Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, may have been born in a colossal cosmic crash. New research suggests Titan formed when two older moons slammed together hundreds of millions of years ago—an event so violent it reshaped Saturn’s entire moon system and may have indirectly sparked the formation of its iconic rings. Clues come from Titan’s unusual orbit, its surprisingly smooth surface, and the strange behavior of the tumbling moon Hyperion. Fri, 27 Feb 2026 07:19:45 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260227071945.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260226042445.htm Scientists at the University of Oxford have finally settled a decades-long mystery about the Moon’s magnetic field — and it turns out both sides were right. By reanalyzing Apollo mission rocks, they discovered that the Moon did occasionally generate an incredibly powerful magnetic field, even stronger than Earth’s — but only for fleeting bursts lasting thousands of years or less. Most of the time, the Moon’s magnetic field was weak. Thu, 26 Feb 2026 11:03:17 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260226042445.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260225081147.htm Mars’ frozen ice caps may be time capsules for ancient life. Lab experiments show that key building blocks of proteins can survive tens of millions of years in pure ice, even under relentless cosmic radiation. Ice mixed with Martian-like soil, however, destroys organic material far more quickly. The findings point future missions toward drilling into clean, buried ice rather than studying rocks or dirt. Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:13:57 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260225081147.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260221000303.htm For the first time, scientists have mapped Uranus’s upper atmosphere in three dimensions, tracking temperatures and charged particles up to 5,000 kilometers above the clouds. Webb’s sharp vision revealed glowing auroral bands and unexpected dark regions shaped by the planet’s wildly tilted magnetic field. Sat, 21 Feb 2026 02:31:36 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260221000303.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260218031532.htm Researchers have uncovered more than a thousand previously unknown tectonic ridges across the Moon’s dark plains, showing the Moon is still contracting and reshaping itself. These features are among the youngest geological structures on the lunar surface. Because they form through the same forces linked to past moonquakes, they could signal new seismic hotspots. Wed, 18 Feb 2026 07:49:00 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260218031532.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260208011014.htm A colossal ancient impact may have reshaped the Moon far more deeply than scientists once realized. By analyzing rare lunar rocks brought back by China’s Chang’e-6 mission from the Moon’s largest crater, researchers found unusual chemical fingerprints pointing to extreme heat and material loss caused by a giant impact. The collision likely stripped away volatile elements, reshaped volcanic activity, and left a lasting chemical signature deep below the surface. Sun, 08 Feb 2026 07:04:07 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260208011014.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260206012217.htm Voyager 2’s flyby of Uranus in 1986 recorded radiation levels so extreme they baffled scientists for nearly 40 years. New research suggests the spacecraft caught Uranus during a rare solar wind event that flooded the planet’s radiation belts with extra energy. Similar storms have been seen near Earth, where they dramatically boost radiation levels. The discovery reshapes how scientists think about Uranus—and why it deserves another visit. Sat, 07 Feb 2026 11:41:34 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260206012217.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260131084138.htm Jupiter’s swirling storms have concealed its true makeup for centuries, but a new model is finally peeling back the clouds. Researchers found the planet likely holds significantly more oxygen than the Sun, a key clue to how Jupiter—and the rest of the solar system—came together. The study also reveals that gases move through Jupiter’s atmosphere much more slowly than scientists once thought. Together, the findings reshape our understanding of the solar system’s largest planet. Sat, 31 Jan 2026 10:28:57 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260131084138.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260122073620.htm Europa’s subsurface ocean might be getting fed after all. Scientists found that salty, nutrient-rich surface ice can become heavy enough to break free and sink through Europa’s icy shell, delivering essential ingredients to the ocean below. The process is fast, repeatable, and works under many conditions. It offers a promising new explanation for how Europa could support life. Fri, 23 Jan 2026 06:14:45 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260122073620.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260107221836.htm Europa’s buried ocean has made it one of the most exciting places to search for life beyond Earth. However, new calculations suggest its seafloor may be calm, cold, and largely inactive, with little energy to support living organisms. Unlike Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io, Europa experiences weaker tidal forces that fail to drive underwater geology. The ocean may exist, but it could be a very quiet place. Wed, 07 Jan 2026 22:32:25 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260107221836.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260104202730.htm Tiny bits of Earth’s atmosphere have been drifting to the moon for billions of years, guided by Earth’s magnetic field. Rather than blocking particles, the magnetic field can funnel them along invisible lines that sometimes stretch all the way to the moon. This explains mysterious gases found in Apollo samples and suggests lunar soil may hold a long-term archive of Earth’s history. It could also become a valuable resource for future lunar explorers. Mon, 05 Jan 2026 00:47:06 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260104202730.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251219093314.htm An instrument aboard NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft captured rare ultraviolet observations of an interstellar comet while Earth-based telescopes were blinded by the Sun. The spacecraft’s unique position provided an unprecedented look at the comet’s dust and plasma tails from an unusual angle. Scientists detected hydrogen, oxygen, and signs of intense gas release, hinting at powerful activity after the comet’s closest approach to the Sun. The findings may reveal clues about how comets form around other stars. Sat, 20 Dec 2025 11:13:34 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251219093314.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251122234723.htm A massive solar storm in May 2024 gave scientists an unprecedented look at how Earth’s protective plasma layer collapses under intense space weather. With the Arase satellite in a perfect observing position, researchers watched the plasmasphere shrink to a fraction of its usual size and take days to rebuild. The event pushed auroras far beyond their normal boundaries and revealed that a rare “negative storm” in the ionosphere dramatically slowed the atmosphere’s ability to recover. These observations offer valuable insight into how extreme solar activity disrupts satellites, GPS signals, and communication systems. Sun, 23 Nov 2025 01:00:14 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251122234723.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251117095650.htm Cutting-edge simulations show that Enceladus’ plumes are losing 20–40% less mass than earlier estimates suggested. The new models provide sharper insights into subsurface conditions that future landers may one day probe directly. Tue, 18 Nov 2025 07:59:29 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251117095650.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251106003158.htm Astronomers have discovered that aging stars may be devouring their closest giant planets as they swell into red giants. Using NASA’s TESS telescope to study nearly half a million stars, scientists found far fewer close-orbiting planets around older, expanded stars—clear evidence that many have already been destroyed. Thu, 06 Nov 2025 04:34:01 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251106003158.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251027224915.htm NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured the first detailed look at a carbon-rich disk surrounding the exoplanet CT Cha b, located about 625 light-years from Earth. The observations reveal a possible “moon factory,” where dust and gas could be coalescing into new moons. The planet orbits a young star only 2 million years old, and the disk’s composition offers rare insight into how moons and planets form in the early stages of a solar system’s life. Wed, 29 Oct 2025 00:43:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251027224915.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251012054611.htm A colossal northern asteroid impact billions of years ago likely shaped the Moon’s south polar region and explains its uneven terrain. Researchers found that the South Pole-Aitken Basin formed from a glancing northern strike, revealing deep materials from the Moon’s interior. This discovery sheds light on how KREEP elements gathered on the near side, driving volcanic activity. Artemis astronauts may soon uncover samples that rewrite lunar history. Sun, 12 Oct 2025 10:23:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251012054611.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251009033128.htm 3I/ATLAS, a mysterious interstellar object racing toward the Sun, is baffling scientists with its speed and origin. Some researchers suggest it could even be alien-made, drawing comparisons to probes humanity has sent beyond the Solar System. Detecting whether it’s natural or artificial would rely on subtle signs like radio emissions or unusual movements. Thu, 09 Oct 2025 03:31:28 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251009033128.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251005085754.htm October’s night sky is set to dazzle, featuring a radiant supermoon, the fiery Draconid meteor shower, and the sparkling Orionids. As the full moon reaches its largest and brightest on October 6, stargazers can also catch the Draconids streaking from the constellation Draco. Later in the month, the Orionid meteors—fragments of Halley’s Comet—will light up the sky, creating a breathtaking celestial display for anyone willing to look up. Sun, 05 Oct 2025 08:57:54 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251005085754.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251002074004.htm New lunar samples from the far side reveal it formed from cooler magma than the near side, confirming the Moon’s interior is not uniform. Researchers suggest fewer heat-producing elements on the far side explain the difference. Theories range from ancient cosmic collisions to Earth’s gravitational pull. These discoveries bring us closer to solving the Moon’s long-standing “two-faced” mystery. Fri, 03 Oct 2025 01:02:58 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251002074004.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250930034246.htm For decades, Uranus baffled scientists because it seemed to have no internal heat. Now, new computer modeling shows the planet actually emits more energy than it receives from the Sun. This subtle warmth suggests Uranus’ story is more complex than previously thought, offering fresh clues about its violent past and about exoplanets similar in size. Tue, 30 Sep 2025 03:42:46 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250930034246.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250914205848.htm Scientists are unraveling the mysteries of "steam worlds"—exoplanets known as sub-Neptunes that are rich in water but orbit so close to their stars that their surfaces are shrouded in thick atmospheres of vapor. Using advanced models, researchers at UC Santa Cruz are now mapping how water behaves under extreme pressures and temperatures, offering insights into exotic phases like supercritical fluids and superionic ice. Mon, 15 Sep 2025 07:27:27 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250914205848.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250906013457.htm For decades, scientists have puzzled over why lunar rocks show signs of strong magnetism when the moon itself has no global magnetic field today. New simulations suggest the answer may lie in a powerful asteroid impact billions of years ago. Sat, 06 Sep 2025 14:31:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250906013457.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250902085004.htm A new model called StarryStarryProcess lets scientists map star spots with precision, improving how exoplanets are studied. By factoring in both transits and stellar rotation, it provides richer details about stars and their influence on planetary signals. Tue, 02 Sep 2025 10:25:58 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/09/250902085004.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250826053347.htm Astronomers have discovered a giant Saturn-sized planet orbiting TOI-6894, the smallest star ever known to host such a world. The finding overturns long-held theories suggesting that tiny, low-mass stars lack the material needed to form or keep giant planets. Tue, 26 Aug 2025 08:25:32 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250826053347.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250821004237.htm Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have uncovered a tiny new moon orbiting Uranus, increasing the planet’s moon tally to 29. The object, only about six miles wide, escaped Voyager 2’s detection during its 1986 flyby, hiding between the orbits of Ophelia and Bianca. Thu, 21 Aug 2025 04:05:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250821004237.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250803233103.htm NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft just aced a key radar test while flying past Mars, proving its ability to detect structures beneath planetary surfaces—something that couldn’t be tested on Earth. The radar, known as REASON, will eventually be used to explore Europa, an icy moon of Jupiter believed to harbor a subsurface ocean. Sun, 03 Aug 2025 23:31:03 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250803233103.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250803011834.htm Cosmic rays from deep space might be the secret energy source that allows life to exist underground on Mars and icy moons like Enceladus and Europa. New research reveals that when these rays interact with water or ice below the surface, they release energy-carrying electrons that could feed microscopic life, a process known as radiolysis. This breakthrough suggests that life doesn't need sunlight or heat, just some buried water and radiation. Sun, 03 Aug 2025 08:58:43 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250803011834.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250713031449.htm A 2.35-billion-year-old Moon rock that fell to Earth in Africa is rewriting what we know about lunar volcanism. This rare meteorite, studied by UK scientists and unveiled at a major geochemistry conference, reveals that the Moon was volcanically active far longer than previously thought. With a unique chemical makeup and an age that bridges a billion-year gap in Moon rock samples, it suggests the Moon had internal heat sources that persisted for ages. Sun, 13 Jul 2025 03:14:49 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250713031449.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250711082745.htm NASA is gearing up for an exciting chapter in lunar exploration by sending a trio of high-tech instruments to the Moon. Two of the devices will be attached to a new lunar rover capable of carrying astronauts or operating remotely, while the third will gather data from orbit. These tools will hunt for ice, map minerals, and analyze what lies beneath the surface, offering a clearer picture of the Moon s makeup and potential resources. Fri, 11 Jul 2025 08:27:45 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250711082745.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250611085304.htm Scientists have discovered a giant planet orbiting a tiny red dwarf star, something they believed wasn t even possible. The planet, TOI-6894b, is about the size of Saturn but orbits a star just a fifth the mass of our Sun. This challenges long-standing ideas about how big planets form, especially around small stars. Current theories can't fully explain how such a planet could have taken shape. Even more fascinating, this cold planet may have a rare kind of atmosphere rich in methane or even ammonia something we've never seen in an exoplanet before. Wed, 11 Jun 2025 08:53:04 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250611085304.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250610112454.htm Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have captured breathtakingly detailed images of two giant exoplanets orbiting a distant sun-like star. These observations revealed sand-like silicate clouds in one planet s atmosphere and an unexpected disk around another that may be forming moons something previously seen only in much younger systems. These snapshots offer a rare chance to witness planet formation in real time, giving clues about how worlds like Jupiter and even our own solar system came to be. Tue, 10 Jun 2025 11:24:54 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250610112454.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250609121632.htm Planets may begin forming much earlier than scientists once believed during the final stages of a star s birth, not afterward. This bold new model, backed by simulations from researchers at SwRI, could solve a long-standing mystery: why so many exoplanet systems have tight clusters of similarly sized planets orbiting close to their stars. These compact systems seem to emerge naturally if planets start forming amid the swirling chaos of gas and dust still feeding the star. Mon, 09 Jun 2025 12:16:32 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250609121632.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250602155332.htm WASP-121b may have been born in a frozen zone and later migrated into its current inferno-like orbit. A surprise discovery of methane in the wrong place suggests intense vertical winds are reshaping how we understand planetary atmospheres. Mon, 02 Jun 2025 15:53:32 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250602155332.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250528131822.htm A series of experiments support spectral data recently collected by the James Webb Space Telescope that found evidence that the icy surface of Jupiter's moon Europa is constantly changing. Europa's surface ice is crystallizing at different rates in different places, which could point to a complex mix of external processes and geologic activity affecting the surface. Wed, 28 May 2025 13:18:22 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250528131822.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250523141921.htm Scientists may have solved the mystery of why the moon shows ancient signs of magnetism although it has no magnetic field today. An impact, such as from a large asteroid, could have generated a cloud of ionized particles that briefly enveloped the moon and amplified its weak magnetic field. Fri, 23 May 2025 14:19:21 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250523141921.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250515145631.htm The Ultraviolet Spectrograph (UVS) aboard NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft has successfully completed its initial commissioning following the October 14, 2024, launch. Scheduled to arrive in the Jovian system in 2030, the spacecraft will orbit Jupiter and ultimately perform repeated close flybys of the icy moon Europa. Previous observations show strong evidence for a subsurface ocean of liquid water that could host conditions favorable for life. Thu, 15 May 2025 14:56:31 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/05/250515145631.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250415183433.htm Observations of Jupiter show that ammonia is unevenly distributed in the upper atmosphere, against expectations of uniform mixing. Scientists found evidence for a complicated but apparently real process associated with fierce lightning storms: strong updrafts generate slushy, ice-coated hailstones of ammonia and water that eventually plunge into the planet and deplete areas of ammonia. This is part of the first 3D picture of the planet's atmosphere, which shows storms are primarily shallow. Tue, 15 Apr 2025 18:34:33 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250415183433.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250304212337.htm The discovery of new exoplanets can help scientists understand how planets form and evolve. Tue, 04 Mar 2025 21:23:37 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/03/250304212337.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250225122457.htm On Wednesday 26 February, a thermal imaging camera blasted off to the Moon as part of NASA's Lunar Trailblazer mission. This aims to map sources of water on the Moon to shed light on the lunar water cycle and to guide future robotic and human missions. Tue, 25 Feb 2025 12:24:57 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250225122457.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250214123929.htm Asteroids that orbit close to the Earth inevitably cause us some anxiety due to the even remote possibility of a collision. But their proximity also offers ample opportunities to learn more about the universe. Ryugu, a 900-meter diameter asteroid in the Apollo belt, has recently proven useful in our search for signs of life's precursors elsewhere in our Solar System. A team of researchers has found evidence of salt minerals in samples recovered from Ryugu during the initial phase of Japan's Hayabusa2 mission. Fri, 14 Feb 2025 12:39:29 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250214123929.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250212134829.htm Scientists are studying Saturn's moon Titan to assess its tidal dissipation rate, the energy lost as it orbits the ringed planet with its massive gravitational force. Understanding tidal dissipation helps scientists infer many other things about Titan, such as the makeup of its inner core and its orbital history. Wed, 12 Feb 2025 13:48:29 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/02/250212134829.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250128221320.htm Scientists developed advanced dating methods to track geological changes on the far side of the moon and found evidence of relatively recent activity. Tue, 28 Jan 2025 22:13:20 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250128221320.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250128124331.htm As humankind imagines living off-planet -- on the moon, Mars and beyond -- the question of how to sustain life revolves around the physical necessities of oxygen, food and water. We know there is water on the moon, but how do we find it? Researchers may help bring science fiction to reality by providing a divining rod to guide future space missions. Tue, 28 Jan 2025 12:43:31 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250128124331.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250115125432.htm Hot Jupiters are giant planets initially known to orbit alone close to their star. During their migration towards their star, these planets were thought to accrete or eject any other planets present. However, this paradigm has been overturned by recent observations, and the final blow could come from a new study demonstrating the existence of a planetary system, WASP-132, with an unexpected architecture. It not only contains a Hot Jupiter but also an inner Super-Earth and an icy giant planet. Wed, 15 Jan 2025 12:54:32 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250115125432.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250107140904.htm A researcher has used advanced models that indicate that the formation of Pluto and Charon may parallel that of the Earth-Moon system. Both systems include a moon that is a large fraction of the size of the main body, unlike other moons in the solar system. The scenario also could support Pluto's active geology and possible subsurface ocean, despite its location at the frozen edge of the solar system. Tue, 07 Jan 2025 14:09:04 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250107140904.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250106133204.htm Collaborative work by amateur and professional astronomers has helped to resolve a long-standing misunderstanding about the composition of Jupiter's clouds. Instead of being formed of ammonia ice -- the conventional view -- it now appears they are likely to be composed of ammonium hydrosulphide mixed with smog. Mon, 06 Jan 2025 13:32:04 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/01/250106133204.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241220191023.htm A study introduces a novel thermodynamic concept called the 'centotectic' and investigates the stability of liquids in extreme conditions -- critical information for determining the habitability of icy moons like Europa. Fri, 20 Dec 2024 19:10:23 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241220191023.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241218131303.htm Scientists propose a 'remelting' of the Moon's surface 4.35 billion years ago due to the tidal pull of Earth causing widespread geological upheaval and intense heating. Wed, 18 Dec 2024 13:13:03 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241218131303.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241213125505.htm A new study points to why, and how, Io became the most volcanic body in the solar system. Fri, 13 Dec 2024 12:55:05 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241213125505.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241209163211.htm A NASA Hubble Space Telescope observation program called OPAL (Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy) obtains long-term baseline observations of Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune in order to understand their atmospheric dynamics and evolution. Mon, 09 Dec 2024 16:32:11 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241209163211.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241205143040.htm Colorful auroras appeared around Japan's Honshu and Hokkaido islands on May 11, 2024, sparked by an intense magnetic storm. Usually, auroras observed at low latitudes appear red due to the emission of oxygen atoms. But on this day, a salmon pink aurora was observed throughout the night, while an unusually tall, blue-dominant aurora appeared shortly before midnight. Thu, 05 Dec 2024 14:30:40 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241205143040.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241126135634.htm Dark ovals in Jupiter's polar haze, visible only at UV wavelengths, were first noticed 25 years ago, then ignored. A new study shows that these dark UV ovals are common, appearing at the south pole in 75% of Hubble Space Telescope images taken since 2015. They appear less often at the north pole. The scientists theorize that a magnetic vortex generated in the ionosphere stirs up and concentrates the hydrocarbon haze that blankets the poles. Tue, 26 Nov 2024 13:56:34 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241126135634.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241125163025.htm A new computer model can be used to detect and measure interior oceans on the ice covered moons of Uranus. The model works by analyzing orbital wobbles that would be visible from a passing spacecraft. The research gives engineers and scientists a slide-rule to help them design NASA's upcoming Uranus Orbiter and Probe mission. Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:30:25 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241125163025.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241125162951.htm When Voyager 2 flew by Uranus and Neptune 40 years ago, astronomers were surprised that it detected no global dipole magnetic fields, like Earth's. The explanation: the ice giants are layered and unmixed, which prevents large scale convection to create a dipole field. But what substances would remain immiscible? A scientist modeled the interiors and found that water-rich and hydrocarbon-rich layers naturally form at extreme pressure and temperature, and they do not mix. Mon, 25 Nov 2024 16:29:51 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/11/241125162951.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241025122818.htm A new study has revealed that methane gas may be trapped within the icy surface of Saturn's moon Titan, forming a distinct crust up to six miles thick, which warms the underlying ice shell and may also explain Titan's methane-rich atmosphere. Fri, 25 Oct 2024 12:28:18 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241025122818.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241015183526.htm Experts have announced that the Sun has reached its solar maximum period, which could continue for the next year. Scientists will not be able to determine the exact peak of this solar maximum period for many months because it's only identifiable after they've tracked a consistent decline in solar activity after that peak. However, scientists have identified that the last two years on the Sun have been part of this active phase of the solar cycle, due to the consistently high number of sunspots during this period. Tue, 15 Oct 2024 18:35:26 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241015183526.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241014145904.htm 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. The largest spacecraft NASA ever built for a mission headed to another planet, Europa Clipper also is the first NASA mission dedicated to studying an ocean world beyond Earth. Mon, 14 Oct 2024 14:59:04 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241014145904.htm