moons
The Search for Exomoons is On
Moons are the norm in our Solar System. The International Astronomical Union recognizes 288 planetary moons, and more keep being…
A Stellar Flyby Jumbled Up the Outer Solar System
An ancient passerby may have visited the Sun and inadvertently helped shape the Solar System into what it is today.…
Comparing Two Proposed NASA Missions to Jupiter’s Moon Io
Thanks to NASA's Juno mission to the Jupiter system, we're getting our best looks ever at the gas giant's volcanic…
If We Want To Find Life-Supporting Worlds, We Should Focus on Small Planets With Large Moons
There's no perfect way of doing anything, including searching for exoplanets. Every planet-hunting method has some type of bias. We've…
How Mars’ Moon Phobos Captures Our Imaginations
For a small, lumpy chunk of rock that barely reflects any light, Mars' Moon Phobos draws a lot of attention.…
Are Titan's Dunes Made of Comet Dust?
A new theory suggests that Titan's majestic dune fields may have come from outer space. Researchers had always assumed that…
Did An Ancient Icy Impactor Create the Martian Moons?
The Martian moons Phobos and Deimos are oddballs. While other Solar System moons are round, Mars' moons are misshapen and…
A Single Grain of Ice Could Hold Evidence of Life on Europa and Enceladus
The Solar System's icy ocean moons are primary targets in our search for life. Missions to Europa and Enceladus will…
Europe Has Big Plans for Saturn’s Moon Enceladus
Saturn's moon, Enceladus, is a gleaming beacon that captivates our intellectual curiosity. Its clean, icy surface makes it one of…
What Can We Learn Flying Through the Plumes at Enceladus?
In the next decade, space agencies will expand the search for extraterrestrial life beyond Mars, where all of our astrobiology…