1. Home
  2. Current Affairs
  3. Current News
  4. Uranus's Largest Moons Could Have Subsurface Oceans

Uranus's Largest Moons Could Have Subsurface Oceans

  • 08 May 2023

According to a recent study, four of Uranus's largest moons - Titania, Oberon, Umbriel and Ariel - could have subsurface oceans.

  • Structure of the Moons: The study utilized data from NASA's Voyager spacecraft and new computer modeling to analyze the composition and structure of all five large Uranus moons.
  • Four Biggest Moons: Uranus has a total of 27 moons orbiting around it. Amongst this the four biggest moons range in size from 1,160 km (Ariel) to 1,580 km (Titania) across.
  • Four Moons Could Hold Oceans: The study suggests that these four moons could hold oceans that are potentially dozens of kilometers deep, and could potentially be warm enough to support life.
  • Source of Heat in the Moons' Mantles: The research also found a potential source of heat in the moons' mantles, which releases hot liquid that could help maintain a warm environment.

Future space missions could investigate these subsurface oceans to see what they are made of and whether they can be habitable.