That Time When Volcanic Eruptions Created a Temporary Atmosphere on the Moon
Aside from some floating dust, our Moon has absolutely no atmosphere to speak of. New research suggests this wasn’t always the case, and that long ago, an atmosphere briefly popped into existence as a result of intense volcanic activity.
Around three to four billion years ago, powerful volcanic eruptions shot gases above the Moon’s surface faster than they could escape, according to a new study published in Earth and Planetary Science Letters. This created a transient atmosphere that lasted for about 70 million years.
(Source: Gizmodo, via sagansense)
This animation shows the fluttering aurorae that light up both of Saturn’s poles. Created by the interaction of the solar wind with the planet’s magnetic field, Saturn’s aurorae are analogous to the more familiar northern and southern light on Earth.
Credit: ESA/Hubble (M. Kornmesser & L. Calçada)
(via astrophysics-daily)
TODAY IN HISTORY: Amazing views of Earth, captured from the Gemini 5 spacecraft, August 22, 1965. (NASA/ASU)
August 22, 1965 – Amazing views of Earth, captured from the Gemini 5 spacecraft, . (NASA/ASU)
