https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/uranus/ Uranus News. See images of the bright blue ring discovered around Uranus. Read science articles on the planet Uranus and more. en-us Sun, 15 Mar 2026 07:23:14 EDT Sun, 15 Mar 2026 07:23:14 EDT 60 https://www.sciencedaily.com/images/scidaily-logo-rss.png https://www.sciencedaily.com/news/space_time/uranus/ 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/2026/02/260225081147.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/2026/02/260206012217.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/2026/02/260204121552.htm Scientists have found that ancient Martian lakes could have survived for decades despite freezing air temperatures. Using a newly adapted climate model, researchers showed that thin, seasonal ice could trap heat and protect liquid water beneath. These lakes may have gently melted and refrozen each year without ever freezing solid. The idea helps solve a long-standing mystery about how Mars shows so much evidence of water without signs of a warm climate. Fri, 06 Feb 2026 01:21:29 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/02/260204121552.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/2026/01/260112001037.htm Scientists observing the red giant star R Doradus have found that starlight isn’t strong enough to drive its stellar winds, overturning a long-standing theory. The dust grains around the star are simply too small to be pushed outward by light alone. This raises new questions about how giant stars spread life-essential elements through space. Researchers now suspect dramatic stellar motions or pulsations may play a key role instead. Mon, 12 Jan 2026 05:41:03 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2026/01/260112001037.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251227004142.htm A newly identified region on Mars may hold the key to future human landings. Researchers found evidence of water ice less than a meter beneath the surface, close enough to be harvested for water, oxygen, and fuel. The location strikes a rare balance between sunlight and cold, helping preserve the ice. It could also offer clues about whether Mars once supported life. Sat, 27 Dec 2025 01:42:59 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251227004142.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251210092013.htm Uranus and Neptune may not be the icy worlds we’ve long imagined. A new Swiss-led study uses innovative hybrid modeling to reveal that these planets could just as easily be dominated by rock as by water-rich ices. The findings also help explain their bizarre, multi-poled magnetic fields and open the door to a wider range of possible interior structures. But major uncertainties remain, and only future space missions will be able to uncover what truly lies beneath their blue atmospheres. Wed, 10 Dec 2025 10:50:07 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/12/251210092013.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251125081919.htm Mars’s Coloe Fossae reveals a landscape shaped by ancient ice ages, with deep valleys, cratered terrain, and frozen debris flows preserved from a time when the planet’s climate dramatically shifted. Wed, 26 Nov 2025 06:05:14 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251125081919.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/2025/11/251115100051.htm Researchers at KRISS observed water’s rapid freeze–melt cycles under ultrahigh pressure and discovered Ice XXI, the first new ice phase found in decades. Using advanced high-pressure tech and microsecond XFEL imaging, they uncovered complex crystallization pathways never seen before. Ice XXI’s structure resembles the high-pressure ice found inside Jupiter and Saturn’s moons, hinting at planetary science implications. Sun, 16 Nov 2025 10:45:41 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251115100051.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251112111015.htm Arctic sea ice is disappearing fast, and scientists have turned to an unexpected cosmic clue—space dust—to uncover how ice has changed over tens of thousands of years. By tracking helium-3–bearing dust trapped (or blocked) by ancient ice, researchers built a remarkably detailed history of Arctic coverage stretching back 30,000 years. Their findings reveal powerful links between sea ice, nutrient availability, and the Arctic food web, offering hints about how future warming may reshape everything from plankton blooms to geopolitics. Thu, 13 Nov 2025 03:44:11 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251112111015.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251109013238.htm From Cassini’s awe-inspiring flybys to cutting-edge simulations, scientists are decoding the secrets of Enceladus’s geysers. Supercomputer models show the icy moon’s plumes lose less mass than expected, refining our understanding of its mysterious interior. These discoveries could shape future missions that may one day explore its subsurface ocean—and perhaps even detect life below the ice. Mon, 10 Nov 2025 01:36:32 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/11/251109013238.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/2025/10/251015230949.htm CO₂ ice blocks on Mars may dig gullies as they slide and sublimate in the thin atmosphere. In lab experiments, scientists recreated these eerie, worm-like movements under Martian conditions. The findings help explain unusual dune formations and deepen our understanding of how alien landscapes evolve. Thu, 16 Oct 2025 00:14:58 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251015230949.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/2025/10/251001092210.htm Fresh analysis of Cassini data has revealed new complex organic molecules inside ice grains spewing from Enceladus. These discoveries strengthen the case that the moon’s underground ocean hosts chemistry similar to life’s building blocks on Earth. Scientists now believe Enceladus could be habitable, and plans are underway for a European mission to sample its surface and jets. Thu, 02 Oct 2025 01:32:51 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/10/251001092210.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/2025/08/250826053347.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/2025/08/250812234557.htm For decades, scientists puzzled over why Uranus seemed colder than expected. Now, an international research team led by the University of Houston has solved the mystery: Uranus emits more heat than it gets from the Sun, meaning it still carries internal warmth from its ancient formation. This revelation rewrites what scientists know about the ice giant’s history, strengthens the case for NASA’s upcoming mission, and offers fresh insight into the forces shaping not only other planets, but also Earth’s future climate. Wed, 13 Aug 2025 07:43:32 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/08/250812234557.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/2025/07/250708045701.htm Scientists from UCL and the University of Cambridge have revealed that "space ice"—long thought to be completely disordered—is actually sprinkled with tiny crystals, changing our fundamental understanding of ice in the cosmos. These micro-crystals, just nanometers wide, were identified through simulations and lab experiments, revealing that even the most common ice in space retains a surprising structure. This has major implications not just for astrophysics, but also for theories about the origin of life and advanced materials technology. Wed, 09 Jul 2025 03:10:07 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/07/250708045701.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250614122001.htm A cosmic particle detector in Antarctica has emitted a series of bizarre signals that defy the current understanding of particle physics, according to an international research group that includes scientists from Penn State. The unusual radio pulses were detected by the Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA) experiment, a range of instruments flown on balloons high above Antarctica that are designed to detect radio waves from cosmic rays hitting the atmosphere. Sat, 14 Jun 2025 12:20:01 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250614122001.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/2025/06/250609121632.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/2025/05/250528131822.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/2025/04/250423112641.htm Scientists and space explorers have been on the hunt to determine where and how much ice is present on the Moon. Water ice would be an important resource at a future lunar base, as it could be used to support humans or be broken down to hydrogen and oxygen, key components of rocket fuel. Researchers are now using two innovative approaches to advance the search for ice on the Moon. Wed, 23 Apr 2025 11:26:41 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/04/250423112641.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/2025/02/250212134829.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/2025/01/250115125432.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/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/2024/12/241220132852.htm Scientists have delivered the first measurements of Greenland Ice Sheet thickness change using data from ESA and NASA ice satellite missions. With global warming causing the Greenland Ice Sheet to melt and flow more rapidly, raising sea levels and disturbing weather patterns across our planet, precise measurements of its changing shape are of critical importance for tracking and adapting to the effects of climate warming. Fri, 20 Dec 2024 13:28:52 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241220132852.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241219152425.htm New studies offer a clearer picture of how the outer solar system formed and evolved based on analyses of trans-Neptunian objects (TNOs) and centaurs. The findings reveal the distribution of ices in the early solar system and how TNOs evolve when they travel inward into the region of the giant planets between Jupiter and Saturn, becoming centaurs. TNOs are small bodies, or 'planetesimals,' orbiting the sun beyond Pluto. They never accreted into planets, and serve as pristine time capsules, preserving crucial evidence of the molecular processes and planetary migrations that shaped the solar system billions of years ago. These solar system objects are like icy asteroids and have orbits comparable to or larger than Neptune's orbit. Prior to the new UCF-led study, TNOs were known to be a diverse population based on their orbital properties and surface colors, but the molecular composition of these objects remained poorly understood. For decades, this lack of detailed knowledge hindered interpretation of their color and dynamical diversity. Now, the new results unlock the long-standing question of the interpretation of color diversity by providing compositional information. Thu, 19 Dec 2024 15:24:25 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241219152425.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241218131526.htm Scientists recently led a team that found, for the first time, that Chiron has surface chemistry unlike other centaurs. Its surface it has both carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide ice along with carbon dioxide and methane gases in its coma, the cloud-like envelope of dust and gas surrounding it. Wed, 18 Dec 2024 13:15:26 EST https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/12/241218131526.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/2024/11/241125163025.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/2024/10/241014145904.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 https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241011141556.htm NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and New Horizons spacecraft simultaneously set their sights on Uranus recently, allowing scientists to make a direct comparison of the planet from two very different viewpoints. The results inform future plans to study like types of planets around other stars. Fri, 11 Oct 2024 14:15:56 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241011141556.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241003123252.htm Deposits of ice in lunar dust and rock (regolith) are more extensive than previously thought, according to a new analysis of data from NASA's LRO (Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter) mission. Ice would be a valuable resource for future lunar expeditions. Water could be used for radiation protection and supporting human explorers, or broken into its hydrogen and oxygen components to make rocket fuel, energy, and breathable air. Thu, 03 Oct 2024 12:32:52 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/10/241003123252.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240927173206.htm A crater-rich dwarf planet named Ceres located in the main asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter was long thought to be composed of a materials mixture not dominated by water ice. Researchers at Purdue used data from NASA's Dawn mission to show that Ceres' crust could be over 90 percent ice. Fri, 27 Sep 2024 17:32:06 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240927173206.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240926132019.htm A 2020 microlensing event was caused by a planetary system with an Earth-like planet and brown dwarf. The star type was uncertain. The team has determined that the star is a white dwarf, a system resembling what our sun-Earth system will look like in 8 billion years. The good news: the planet survived its star's red giant phase, so maybe Earth will too. The bad news: it's still uninhabitable. Thu, 26 Sep 2024 13:20:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240926132019.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240919174819.htm By staring into the hellish landscape of Jupiter's moon Io -- the most volcanically active location in the solar system -- astronomers have been able to study a fundamental process in planetary formation and evolution: tidal heating. Thu, 19 Sep 2024 17:48:19 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240919174819.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240918125024.htm Astronomers have spotted the biggest pair of black hole jets ever seen, spanning 23 million light-years in total length. That's equivalent to lining up 140 Milky Way galaxies back to back. Wed, 18 Sep 2024 12:50:24 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240918125024.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240903144929.htm Around 4 billion years ago, an asteroid hit the Jupiter moon Ganymede. Now, a researcher realized that the Solar System's biggest moon's axis has shifted as a result of the impact, which confirmed that the asteroid was around 20 times larger than the one that ended the age of the dinosaurs on Earth, and caused one of the biggest impacts with clear traces in the Solar System. Tue, 03 Sep 2024 14:49:29 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/09/240903144929.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240801121827.htm Researchers have developed a new model to explain the formation of giant planets such as Jupiter, which furnishes deeper insights into the processes of planet formation and could expand our understanding of planetary systems. Thu, 01 Aug 2024 12:18:27 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/08/240801121827.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240721113224.htm Europa and Enceladus, icy moons of Jupiter and Saturn respectively, have evidence of oceans beneath their crusts. A NASA experiment suggests -- if these oceans support life -- signatures of that life in the form of organic molecules (like amino acids and nucleic acids) could survive just under the surface ice despite the harsh, ionizing radiation on these worlds. If robotic landers were to go to these moons to look for life signs, they would not have to dig very deep to find amino acids that have survived being altered or destroyed by radiation. Sun, 21 Jul 2024 11:32:24 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240721113224.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240710130900.htm Up to 60% of near-Earth objects could be dark comets, mysterious asteroids that orbit the sun in our solar system that likely contain or previously contained ice and could have been one route for delivering water to Earth, according to a new study. Wed, 10 Jul 2024 13:09:00 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/07/240710130900.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240530182217.htm Combining a new imaging instrument with the powerful adaptive optics capabilities of the Large Binocular Telescope, astronomers have captured a volcanic event on Jupiter's moon Io at a resolution never before achieved with Earth-based observations. Thu, 30 May 2024 18:22:17 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240530182217.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240506131508.htm New discoveries about Jupiter could lead to a better understanding of Earth's own space environment and influence a long-running scientific debate about the solar system's largest planet. Mon, 06 May 2024 13:15:08 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/05/240506131508.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240408130613.htm Antarctica harbors a large concentration of meteorites imbuing the icy continent with an unparalleled wealth of information on our solar system. However, these precious meteorites are rapidly disappearing from the ice sheet surface due to global warming, according to a new study. Mon, 08 Apr 2024 13:06:13 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/04/240408130613.htm https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240322145406.htm Could life be found in frozen sea spray from moons orbiting Saturn or Jupiter? New research finds that life can be detected in a single ice grain containing one bacterial cell or portions of a cell. The results suggest that if life similar to that on Earth exists on these planetary bodies, that this life should be detectable by instruments launching in the fall. Fri, 22 Mar 2024 14:54:06 EDT https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2024/03/240322145406.htm