moon

California Institute of Technology (Caltech) astronomer Mike Brown and Kevin Hand from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) have detailed the strongest evidence yet that salty water from the liquid ocean beneath Europa's frozen shell makes its way to the surface. The composition of this ocean may well resemble Earth's salty oceans. This new research suggests that there is a chemical exchange between the ocean and the surface, which makes the ocean a richer chemical environment. This exchange means that energy may be going into the ocean.

This cylindrical projection global map is one of six new color maps of Saturn's midsized icy moons, constructed using 10 years of image data from the Cassini spacecraft. Discovered by Cassini (the astronomer) in 1684, Dione is about 1,120 kilometers across. Based on data extending from infrared to ultraviolet, the full resolution of this latest space-age map is 250 meters per pixel.

The poor little rover had some technical difficulties last weekend and has not recovered. The 3 month mission has ended rather prematurely.