Astronomers Propose New Definition of Planet
Established in 2006 by the International Astronomical Union, the current definition specifies that to qualify as a planet, a celestial body must orbit the Sun within our Solar System. But…
Cassini Reveals Surface Properties of Titan’s Hydrocarbon Seas
Saturn’s moon Titan was explored by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft from 2004 to 2017. While Cassini revealed a lot about this Earth-like world, its radar observations could only provide limited information…
Ancient Mars was Cool and Relatively Wet, New Study Suggests
In a new study, planetary scientists found strong similarities between soils found in Gale Crater on Mars and those of Canada’s Newfoundland, a cold subarctic climate. X-ray amorphous material comprises…
Scientists Revise Famous Drake Equation
Within the uncertainties of involved astronomical and biological parameters, the Drake equation typically predicts that there should be many exoplanets (< 100 to millions) in our Milky Way Galaxy hosting active,…
Mars is Bombarded by Meteoroids At More Frequent Rates than Previously Thought
Current impact rates at Mars could be 2-10 times higher than previously estimated, depending on the size of the meteoroids, according to new research. Mars; the center of the scene…
Juno Spots ‘Hot Rings’ on Jupiter’s Volcanic Moon Io
These bright (hot) ‘thermal rings’ are a common phenomenon, and they are indicative of active lava lakes, according to a new analysis of data from the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper…
Study: Active, Seafloor Hydrothermal Systems on Small Ocean Worlds Could Support Life
Ocean worlds are planetary bodies that have a liquid ocean, often under an icy shell or within the rocky interior. In our own Solar System, several moons of Jupiter and…
Coastlines of Titan’s Largest Lakes and Seas Were Eroded by Wave Activity: Study
Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, is the only known planetary body besides Earth on which standing liquids persist. Liquid hydrocarbons, supplied by rainfall from the moon’s thick atmosphere, form rivers, lakes,…
Water Frost Deposits Spotted on Tropical Martian Volcanoes
Using high-resolution color images from ESA’s Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and Mars Express missions, planetary researchers have found evidence for morning frost deposits on the calderas of the Tharsis volcanoes…
Jupiter’s Polar Cyclones are Fueled by Processes Similar to Those Acting on Earth: Study
Planetary scientists first made the connection between Earth and Jupiter in 2018 when they noticed a striking similarity between images of Jupiter’s huge cyclones and the ocean turbulence. In 2022,…