Jupiter moons

NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter has revealed intriguing insights into the rate of oxygen production on Europa, one of the gas giant's moons. Published in Nature Astronomy on March 4, the study indicates that the rate of oxygen production at Europa is considerably lower than previously thought. Utilizing data collected by Juno's Jovian Auroral Distributions Experiment (JADE) instrument, scientists estimated the production rate to be around 26 pounds (12 kilograms) per second, challenging earlier estimates ranging from a…

In a groundbreaking study, NASA has unveiled a revelation that expands the search for extraterrestrial life. Researchers have identified 17 exoplanets positioned beyond our solar system that might boast subsurface oceans beneath their icy exteriors. The intriguing aspect lies in the possibility of periodic eruptions, resembling geysers, breaking through the frozen crusts of these distant worlds. Subsurface OceansThe research, conducted by scientists at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, included a meticulous analysis of…

Jupiter has been shocking astronomers ever since astronomer Galileo Galilei started recording its mysteries as far back as 1610. Jupiter is also known as the Gas Giant as it has a dense atmosphere of hydrogen and helium with windy clouds of ammonia. It is the fifth planet in the solar system, and it is by far the biggest one. In fact, it is twice as big as all the other planets in our solar system combined. It also has the most moons in the solar system, with 92 confirmed moons with orbits, according to International…

Astronomers have discovered 62 new moons orbiting Saturn, taking the total number to 145 - the most in our solar system. Saturn now has 50 more moons than the gas giant Jupiter.Additionally, Saturn becomes the first planet to get more than a 100 moons in our solar system. Previously, Jupiter had the record of having 95 recognised moons. Solar System's 'moon race'The discovery means that Saturn regained its crown from Jupiter for having the most known moons, said researchers at the University of British Columbia (UBC). The…

Saturn has 83 confirmed moons! Among these, there is a Trojan moon known as Helene which is a small and faint moon. It is known as Trojan because it shares its orbit with another moon called Dione, which is hundreds of times larger than Helene. Today, NASA has shared a colourful image of Saturn's moon Helene as Astronomy Picture of the Day on April 30. In spite of its muted tones, Saturn's moon Helene remains a mystery. In 2012, the robotic Cassini spacecraft performed a close flyby of the small moon, capturing images of…

Saturn has a total of 83 moons, ranging in size from larger than the planet Mercury – the giant moon Titan – to as small as a sports arena. Among these, the third largest moon of Saturn is Iapetus which has a mean radius of around 457 miles (736 kilometres) and a density only 1.2 times that of liquid water. But there is something strange regarding its surface! In the latest image shared by NASA as the Astronomy Picture of the Day 26 February, this moon looks like a walnut. The image was captured by the Cassini…

Astronomers have made a groundbreaking discovery beyond Earth's orbit by discovering 12 new moons around Jupiter. Previously held by Saturn, the gas giant has overtaken Saturn as the planet with the most moons. Jupiter has 92 moons, much more than Saturn's 83. Astronomer Scott Sheppard of Washington's Carnegie Institution for Science made the observations that uncovered the dozen new moons. The Minor Planet Center has secretly released facts and confirmation of the newly discovered moons (MPC). …

Did you know? Saturn used to be the planet with the most moons in the solar system. But with the latest findings of dozens of new moons, the crown has shifted to Jupiter. The giant planet previously had 80 moons and with a hefty increase of 15 percent, the new Jovian moon tally takes it to 92. Saturn has 83 confirmed moons. This has been reported by the Minor Planet Center (MPC) since December 20, which published 12 previously unreported moons of Jupiter, Sky & Telescope magazine said. More such moons may well be…