Tag: JUICE
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Space Radiation May Create Some Organic Molecules Detected on Icy Moons
Rethinking the Origins of Enceladus’s Organics For years, the plumes jetting from Saturn’s moon Enceladus have been a tantalizing clue in the search for habitability beyond Earth. The Cassini mission detected a suite of organic molecules in these icy geysers, suggesting a chemically rich environment beneath the frozen crust and a potential link to a…
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Space Radiation May Create Some Organic Molecules Found in Enceladus Plumes
New insight into Enceladus’s chemistry Scientists are reconsidering how organic molecules detected in plumes erupting from Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus should be interpreted. A recent study proposes that some compounds previously thought to come from a subsurface ocean could instead be produced by natural radiation near the moon’s surface. While this doesn’t rule out a…
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Space Radiation Could Create Organics on Enceladus and Other Icy Moons
Radiation Chemistry Isn’t Just for Earth: Implications for Enceladus For years, scientists have looked at the plumes erupting from Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus as a direct window into a hidden subsurface ocean. The idea was simple: material sampled in space could reveal the ocean’s chemistry, including potential building blocks of life. A growing body of…
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3I/ATLAS: The Interstellar Comet’s Trajectory and What’s Next
Overview: A visitor from beyond the solar system Discovered on July 1, 2024, the interstellar object known as 3I/ATLAS has captivated scientists and the public alike. As only the third confirmed interstellar visitor to pass through our solar system, it offers a rare chance to study material from another star system. After a pass by…
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Interstellar Visitor Lights Up Mars Sky: First Close Look by ESA Orbiters
Rare Interstellar Visitor Captured by Mars Orbiters In a landmark moment for planetary science and astronomy, an interstellar comet—3I/ATLAS—passed close to Mars on October 3, offering a rare glimpse from Earth’s neighboring planet. The event marked only the third time humanity has observed a true interstellar object, following 1I/ʻOumuamua (2017) and 2I/Borisov (2019). As the…
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New Organic Molecules Found in Enceladus Water Jets
Enceladus Reveals a Rich Chemical World Saturn’s icy moon Enceladus keeps delivering surprises from beneath its southern ice: recent work based on archival data from NASA’s Cassini mission has identified a suite of complex organic molecules in the water jets that spray from its south pole. The findings bolster the view that Enceladus hosts a…
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Interstellar Visitor 3I/ATLAS Skims Mars Sky: What ESA’s Rovers Revealed
Interstellar visitor crosses the Martian sky As October 2025 unfolded, astronomers faced a familiar puzzle: how do you observe something that’s on the opposite side of the Sun? The answer, in part, lay with the many rovers and spacecraft stationed on Mars. From 1 to 7 October, Europe’s ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and Mars…
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Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Observed by Mars Orbiters
A visitor from another star In late 2025, Earth’s telescopes were chasing light from a visitor that didn’t belong to our solar system. 3I/ATLAS is not a typical comet born in the icy outskirts of the Sun’s domain; it arrived from another star and is currently just a fleeting guest in our celestial neighborhood. Discovered…
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ESA’s ExoMars and Mars Express Observe Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS
ESA’s ExoMars and Mars Express Observe Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS European Space Agency spacecraft are turning their optics toward a rare visitor from beyond our Solar System. Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has caught the attention of ESA’s Mars orbiters, with the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO) and the Mars Express mission contributing valuable observations as the object…
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Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Captured by Mars Orbiter
European Mars Orbiter Captures 3I/ATLAS During Distant Flyby In a rare encounter with a traveler from beyond the solar system, the interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS passed by Mars on October 3, skimming within 19 million miles (about 30 million kilometers) of the Red Planet. The European Space Agency (ESA) reported that its Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO)…