tidal heating
There’s Another Ocean Moon Candidate: Uranus’ Tiny Moon Miranda
The Solar System's hundreds of moons are like puzzle pieces. Together, they make a picture of all the forces that…
Io’s Volcanoes are Windows into its Hot Interior
NASA's Juno spacecraft was sent to Jupiter to study the gas giant. But its mission was extended, giving it an…
Juno Sees a Brand New Volcano on Io
Jupiter's moon, Io, is the most volcanic body in the Solar System. NASA's Juno spacecraft has been getting closer and…
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…
Radiating Exoplanet Discovered in “Perfect Tidal Storm”
Can tidal forces cause an exoplanet’s surface to radiate heat? This is what a recent study accepted to The Astronomical…
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…
17 Known Exoplanets Could Have Oceans of Liquid Water
The search for life is tied to the search for liquid water. That's why astronomers are so keen on detecting…
Astronomers Calculate Which Exoplanets Are Most Likely to Have Water
Astronomers know of about 60 rocky exoplanets orbiting in the habitable zones of their stars. When they try to determine…
A Third of Planets Orbiting Red Dwarf Stars Could be in the Habitable Zone
A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a pair of researchers from the University…
What is the Maximum Number of Moons that Earth Could Have?
In a recent study published in Earth and Planetary Astrophysics, a team of researchers from the University of Texas at…