UA Science Cafe at Magpies – 'Jupiter's Moons: Io is Hot and Europa's Ocean May Harbor Life'

When: October 10, 2017 6:00pm

Series topic: All the Moons You Need to Know: The Amazing Moons of Our Solar System

We are all familiar with our moon, the Earth's moon, that lights up our night sky and cycles through our lives. But many of us don't know much about the other moons in our solar system, moons that orbit other planets like Saturn and Jupiter. These days, scientists are especially interested in those other moons. Many of the most exciting recent discoveries in planetary science are connected to those other moons. Some of them even look like prime candidates for microbial life! Discover the wondrous moons of our solar system in this new Science Cafe series.

Talk: "Jupiter's Moons: Io is Hot and Europa's Ocean May Harbor Life"

Presenter: Alfred McEwen, Professor, Planetary Geology, UA Lunar & Planetary Laboratory

Talk description: An astonishing 67 moons orbit the giant gas planet Jupiter. Four of them are planet-size moons discovered by Galileo in 1610: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Due to the nature of their orbits, Io and Europa undergo tidal heating. On the surface of Io, hundreds of high-temperature silicate eruptions cover the surface. Europa, Ganymede and Callisto have subsurface water layers or "oceans" beneath their icy surfaces that may provide the right environment for microbial life. Europa presents an especially promising environment for extraterrestial life. To discover more, NASA is developing the Europa Clipper mission and studying a possible Europa Lander. Learn about the fascinating moons of Jupiter at this month's Science Café!


Audience: All
Audience size: Medium (51-100)

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Shipherd Reed College of Science

Requests for disability-related accommodations should be directed to the event's primary contact: Shipherd Reed