NASA it’s not done studying Mars, but that doesn’t mean it can’t search for water in other places in our solar system. Water in ice form is very common, especially at the South Pole of the planets, and even on the moons. Natural satellites are also in the equation, as the moons of Jupiter have shown interesting signs of possible water in liquid form coming to the surface soon. On the other hand, it wouldn’t be a place for humanity to call home, but this can lead to more observations in cosmic objects previously that don’t call for that type of attention.
Jupiter is not the focus, but it’s the starting point for a new endeavour
Even though moons are not the focus, NASA continues to study everything it can to have a better understanding of how the elements crucial for our living on Earth are used in the universe. Helium, carbon, and oxygen are among the most abundant elements in the universe, and all of them have an impact on our daily life, for good or bad.
NASA’s Juno mission is focused on getting to know Jupiter better, the biggest planet in our solar system. Its main goal is to figure out how much water it has, looking for signs of hydrogen and oxygen molecules. We already knew its atmosphere is mostly hydrogen and helium, but researchers have also spotted traces of methane and ammonia.
NASA spotted something moving on one of Jupiter’s moons
According to NASA, Jupiter was probably the first planet to form, thanks to all the hydrogen and helium in its atmosphere. It ended up holding most of the gas and dust that didn’t go into making the Sun. Back in 1995, the Galileo probe surprised scientists by showing that Jupiter was warmer than expected, and that it didn’t have as much water as people thought. Meanwhile, its 95 moons — especially Io — have been a huge draw for researchers. Io has some of the strongest volcanic activity in the solar system.
With data from its camera during two flybys, Juno captured an aerial view of Loki Patera, the biggest lava lake ever seen. It’s roughly 200 km (125 miles) wide, and its surface looks smooth and shiny, a sign that the lava cooled down quickly and turned into a volcanic glass called obsidian.
How was it discovered?
Juno’s JIRAM (Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper) spotted volcanic depressions across Io with cooler crusts in the center and hotter edges where fresh lava comes out. This tells us that magma doesn’t just sit still — it’s constantly overturning and resurfacing. The discovery was announced by Juno’s lead investigator, Scott Bolton, during a press conference at the European Geophysical Union General Assembly in Vienna.
Another NASA Juno team member, Alessandro Mura from the National Institute of Astrophysics in Rome, explained that about 3% of Io’s surface might be covered by molten lava lakes. The data also suggests that some areas resemble volcanic glass — a result of lava cooling down too quickly to form crystals.
The weakest moon
Jupiter’s moons are divided into two groups: the four Galilean moons (Io, Ganymede, Europa, and Callisto) and smaller, irregular moons. Ganymede is the largest of them, and NASA has been looking into its possible liquid metallic core.
Among these moons, Io is the weakest in some ways, but it’s also the most active. The combined gravity of Jupiter, Europa, and Ganymede stretches and distorts Io, creating friction inside the moon. This constant tugging heats its interior and fuels its volcanic activity. Jupiter itself has been an object of interest for a long time. Back in February, it was one of the seven planets that lined up in a rare cosmic alignment.