Search begins for moons that could support life.

[n2doc]

With scientists already looking for Earth-size planets orbiting in distant stars' habitable zones, a new project is using similar techniques to look for moons, too.


By Pete Spotts, Staff writer / January 6, 2012

Europa rises above Jupiter's cloud tops in this picture taken by the New Horizons spacecraft. The moon is a candidate for life in the solar system.
Southwest Research Institute/Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory/NASA/REUTERS/File


How many planets discovered by NASA's Kepler mission might have moons?

That's a question a team of astronomers is trying to answer, and if they find any, what tales those moons might tell.

Distant moons could yield insights into the formation and evolution of planetary systems unlike our own. In addition, they could also host environments hospitable for life, even if the planets they orbit don't.

more

http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2012/0106/A-real-life-Avatar-Search-begins-for-moons-that-could-support-life.

[krispos42]

1. A habital world around a gas giant would be AWESOME

Just IMAGINE the views!

[MicaelS]

2. I guess you never watched Avatar...

BTW, that is

Problem with a habitable world around a gas giant is that if were too close it might be tidally locked.

[HopeHoops]

3. And often gravitationally locked to one side as is our own moon.

[krispos42]

4. Oh, I saw it

I even sprang for the 3-D glasses. I figured the cost per hour for a ticket was less than $5/hr, so that was reasonable.


I don't see why being tidally locked would be an issue. The sun would still rise and set as the moon orbited the gas giant.

I image the weather would be interesting, without ocean tides to swirl the water around. And the moon's sun would be eclipsed regularly by the gas giant in all likelyhood.

However, an interesting question would be... how much heat would the moon get from the gas giant?

[Motown_Johnny]

5. you are right about it being tidally locked, but it would depend on the orbit

If the day and night were a month long each it could easily lead to temperature extremes.


The real problem with orbiting a gas giant would be the possible volcanic activity caused by the kneading of the moon. Of course if the moon were tidally locked this problem would not exist.



(P.S. There might be other moons that could still cause ocean tides)