Nasa’s Europa Clipper spacecraft will investigate whether an icy moon of Jupiter can support alien life

The mission will investigate the potential for life at the icy moon of Jupiter.

James O'Donoghue, Research Associate Professor in Planetary Astronomy, Meteorology, University of Reading • conversation
Oct. 4, 2024 • ~7 min

A ‘ring of fire’ eclipse is taking place in South America and the Pacific. Here’s how eclipses happen

Argentina and Chile will see the ‘ring’, but other regions will see a partial eclipse.

Oisin Creaner, Assistant Professor of Physical Sciences, Dublin City University • conversation
Oct. 2, 2024 • ~5 min

A ‘ring of fire’ eclipse is set to thrill skywatchers over South America and the Pacific

Parts of South America, the Pacific and Antarctica are under the path of an annular eclipse.

Tamsin Mynett, PhD Candidate, Faculty of Engineering, Computing and the Environment, Kingston University • conversation
Oct. 1, 2024 • ~6 min

CubeSats, the tiniest of satellites, are changing the way we explore the solar system

CubeSats have already visited the Moon and Mars and are key components of upcoming deep space missions.

Mustafa Aksoy, Assistant Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering, University at Albany, State University of New York • conversation
Sept. 27, 2024 • ~7 min

The Moon had surprisingly recent volcanic activity, samples from Chinese space mission confirm

Lunar volcanism was thought to have stopped two billion years ago.

Lionel Wilson, Emeritus Professor, Lancaster Environment Centre, Lancaster University • conversation
Sept. 6, 2024 • ~6 min

Life on alien planets probably wouldn’t experience day and night – here’s how that may change evolution

Most planets that have the potential to host life have one side always facing their sun.

Maureen Cohen, Postdoctoral Research Associate in Venus Global Climate Modelling, The Open University • conversation
Sept. 3, 2024 • ~6 min

The Moon was once covered by an ocean of molten rock, data from India’s space mission suggests

The new study seems to confirm that molten magma covered the Moon’s surface shortly after its formation.

Joshua Snape, Royal Society University Research Fellow, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Manchester • conversation
Aug. 21, 2024 • ~8 min

Slingshot in space: the tricky manoeuvre that will use Earth and the Moon to send the Juice mission to Jupiter

The manoeuvres will set up an encounter with Jupiter in 2031.

Christopher Bridges, Reader in Onboard Data Handling, University of Surrey • conversation
Aug. 19, 2024 • ~7 min

Chang'e 6 brought rocks from the far side of the Moon back to Earth − a planetary scientist explains what this sample could hold

The far side of the Moon has a very different composition from the near side − so researchers are eager to see what stories these samples will tell.

Jeffrey Gillis-Davis, Research Professor of Physics, Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis • conversation
Aug. 6, 2024 • ~9 min

How can there be ice on the Moon?

It’s a fundamental requirement for life on Earth. But how does water exist on such a forbidding world as the Moon?

Glenn Lightsey, Professor of Space Systems Technology, Georgia Institute of Technology • conversation
Aug. 5, 2024 • ~7 min

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