Articles

Stories, updates, insights, and original analysis from The Planetary Society.

In Honor of JUICE, a New View of Europa

To celebrate ESA's selection of the JUICE mission to Jupiter, Ted Stryk produced a new global view of Europa from Galileo data.

Blast from the past: The Galileo Messenger

From 1981 to 1997, the Galileo mission published an approximately quarterly newsletter called the Galileo Messenger. It eventually ran to 45 issues, until the end of the Prime Mission. The first 20 were published before Galileo ever got off the ground. That period is the subject of this post.

Is Europa's ice thin or thick? At chaos terrain, it's both!

Among Europa scientists there are two warring factions: the thick-icers and the thin-icers. The question is how thick is the ice shell that overlies Europa's subsurface ocean (the existence of which pretty much everyone agrees on).

Door 22 in the 2010 advent calendar

Time to open the twenty-second door in the advent calendar. Where in the solar system are these degraded craters?

Door 15 in the 2010 advent calendar

Time to open the fifteenth door in the advent calendar. Where in the solar system is this cratered world?

Door 14 in the 2010 advent calendar

Until the New Year, I'll be opening a door each day onto a different landscape from somewhere in the solar system. Where in the solar system are these red freckles?

Door 12 in the 2010 advent calendar

Time to open the twelfth door in the advent calendar. Where in the solar system is this trapezoidal mountain?

Door 3 in the 2010 advent calendar

Time to open the third door in the advent calendar. Until the New Year, I'll be opening a door onto a different landscape from somewhere in the solar system. Where in the solar system is this wispy terrain?

Exposing Io's true colors

Thanks to its active volcanic activity and sulfur-rich surface, Io is one of the most colorful worlds yet seen in the Solar System, save the Earth of course

Volcanism across the solar system: Io

Three months ago, grandiosely, I announced that I was going to survey volcanism across the solar system, and I began the journey on Earth. Then I failed to follow up.

Pretty picture: Io, labeled

Jason Perry just posted this lovely labeled image of Io over at his blog, the Gish Bar Times.

400 Years of the Galilean Satellites

It was 400 years ago today that Galileo discovered smaller planets attending the planet Jupiter.

Planetary Society Advent Calendar for December 24: Ganymede

I think if you polled most space fans about their favorite moons of Jupiter, Ganymede would come in a consistent third behind Europa and Io. It's just not fair.

Planetary Society Advent Calendar for December 25: Double planet

To those of you who celebrate the holiday, merry Christmas! I hope Santa was good to you.

Planetary Society Advent Calendar for December 13: Dactyl

If you don't think Pluto gets enough respect, just imagine what it's like to be a satellite of an asteroid.

Planetary Society Advent Calendar for December 11: Io

This is a special post for all of my readers who are lighting the first candle on their menorot this evening.

Four hundred and fourteen years since Galileo

Galileo, the scientist, discovered the Galilean satellites of Jupiter four hundred years ago next month, while Galileo, the mission, arrived at Jupiter to study those moons in situ fourteen years ago Sunday.