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Europa Clipper

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Europa's Buried Ocean: Galileo’s Point Sparks a Vast Subsurface Sea
science8 days ago

Europa's Buried Ocean: Galileo’s Point Sparks a Vast Subsurface Sea

From Galileo's 1610 sighting of a tiny moon near Jupiter, scientists now consider Europa to host a global salty ocean buried under kilometers of ice, potentially larger than Earth's oceans. Magnetic data and surface geology suggest a 60–150 km-deep ocean under a 15–25 km ice shell, but no direct samples exist yet. NASA's Europa Clipper will study the ice shell, ocean, and chemistry to assess habitability without drilling through the ice or directly seeking life.

Europa plume claims lose steam after reanalysis
space1 month ago

Europa plume claims lose steam after reanalysis

A 14-year reanalysis of Hubble data casts doubt on Europa’s previously claimed water vapor plumes, lowering confidence from about 99.9% to under 90% and suggesting the earlier detections may have been due to data placement noise; the team says plumes can’t be ruled out, but the question may be settled by NASA’s Europa Clipper mission expected to arrive in 2030.

Track Four Legendary Probes Across January’s Night Sky
stargazing5 months ago

Track Four Legendary Probes Across January’s Night Sky

Space.com guides readers to spot four legendary spacecraft—James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), Europa Clipper, JUICE, and Voyager 1—in January’s night sky, with finder charts and timing tips (including JWST’s path from Orion toward Jupiter and the planet’s January opposition). The piece also suggests using timeanddate or stargazing apps (Starry Night, Stellarium) for precise rise/set times and locations, and adds bonus targets around Orion’s Belt and the Orion Nebula.

Mysterious Spider-Like Formations on Europa and Jupiter Spark Alien Life Theories
science6 months ago

Mysterious Spider-Like Formations on Europa and Jupiter Spark Alien Life Theories

Scientists have proposed that the mysterious spider-like feature observed on Europa's surface, initially thought to be a structure within a crater, may have formed through processes similar to Earth's lake stars, but likely resulted from an asteroid impact that created cracks allowing salty water to seep through, providing insights into Europa's subsurface and potential signs of extraterrestrial life.

NASA's Europa Clipper Radar Excels During Mars Flyby
space-exploration11 months ago

NASA's Europa Clipper Radar Excels During Mars Flyby

NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft tested its radar during a flyby of Mars, using the planet's proximity to calibrate instruments ahead of its 2030 mission to Europa. The successful test involved bouncing radio waves off Mars and collecting data, helping scientists prepare for detailed studies of Europa's icy shell, composition, and structure. The spacecraft, launched in October 2024, aims to explore whether Europa's environment could support life.