Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Potentially Habitable Moons

NASA ^ | September 19, 2014 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: For astrobiologists, these may be the four most tantalizing moons in our Solar System. Shown at the same scale, their exploration by interplanetary spacecraft has launched the idea that moons, not just planets, could have environments supporting life. The Galileo mission to Jupiter discovered Europa's global subsurface ocean of liquid water and indications of Ganymede's interior seas. At Saturn, the Cassini probe detected erupting fountains of water ice from Enceladus indicating warmer subsurface water on even that small moon, while finding surface lakes of frigid but still liquid hydrocarbons beneath the dense atmosphere of large moon Titan. Now looking beyond the Solar System, new research suggests that sizable exomoons, could actually outnumber exoplanets in stellar habitable zones. That would make moons the most common type of habitable world in the Universe.

[SunkenCiv]

[Research and compilation: René Heller (McMaster Univ.) et al.; Panels: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute; Copyright: Ted Stryk]

[SunkenCiv]

The Big One

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[mikrofon]

OTOH, this non-moon is 'Tantalus-ing' ....

[cripplecreek]

Habitable for something but not very habitable for me.

[Larry Lucido]

Regarding Europa. I would attempt no landing there.

[jmacusa]

“Open the pod bay doors Hal’’.

[blueunicorn6]

I bought into a timeshare condo on Europa. Parking is kind of a hassle, but nice ocean view. The ten foot tall lobsters are delicious. Hard to find enough butter for them, though. And you should see the cooking pot.

[Larry Lucido]

Do they take Euros?

[Dallas59]

[COBOL2Java]

Those are marvelous! Do they have labels?

[Dallas59]

Just from Space Engine...with photoshop.

Space Engine

Warning...does not work with current Nvidia drivers.

[Dallas59]

[SunkenCiv]

The US should be concentrating on saturation of near-Earth objects with robotic probes, prospecting for useful metals, including titanium and precious metals. Meanwhile, 3.3 km Tantalus will continue to tant- uh, never mind...

http://books.google.com/books?id=QpajMuyXG8AC&pg=PA519&lpg=PA519&dq=tantalus+1975+ya&source=bl&ots=RYSwSrwjUJ&sig=WDGM7DnYGdn8vvOrD1iWf99m8vc&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VBEeVKPsJsX3yQTzlIE4&ved=0CFMQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=tantalus%201975%20ya&f=false

[SunkenCiv]

As cc said, could be a little chilly, you’ll want to bring a jacket if you go. :’)

[SunkenCiv]

btw, what’s the source of those, they’re nice.

http://digitalblasphemy.com/

[familyop]

"...but still liquid hydrocarbons beneath the dense atmosphere of large moon Titan."

Methane and ethane, emitted by fossil fuel, of course!

;-)

[SunkenCiv]

http://www.digitalblasphemy.com/preview.shtml?i=greenflash1

http://digitalblasphemy.com/fshow.shtml?i=moonshadow1

http://digitalblasphemy.com/fshow.shtml?i=roche2k131

http://digitalblasphemy.com/fshow.shtml?i=circumpolar

[mrsmith]

Everywhere in the universe is habitable.

Well, a nuclear power plant probably wouldn’t be able to cool a sun’s surface or interior enough for it to be habitable.

[SunkenCiv]

Other moons of Earth
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Other_moons_of_Earth

3753 Cruithne
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3753_Cruithne

[jmacusa]

Only one of these four moons has an atmosphere. Titan and it’s methane, ugh! Methane stinks but the upside is there can never be any smoking on the planet. One careless flame and BOOM!!!