HT TECH wants to start sending you push notifications. Click allow to subscribe

Historic! First time ever, Hubble Telescope detects water vapour on Jupiter's moon Ganymede

Hubble Telescope, even though it is over 30 years old, is packed with technology that keeps enriching our knowledge about the Universe we live in. Now, its data has revealed that there is water vapor on Jupiter's moon Ganymede.

By: HT TECH
Updated on: Jul 28 2021, 07:20 IST
Jupiter's moon Ganymede is icy cold with temperatures falling as low as 183 degrees Celsius. (AP)
Jupiter's moon Ganymede is icy cold with temperatures falling as low as 183 degrees Celsius. (AP)

Hubble Telescope is a technological marvel and time and again it has proved itself invaluable in revealing facts about the planets and the universe as a whole that add enormously to the wealth of knowledge for humanity. Now, for the first time ever, water has been detected on Jupiter's moon, Ganymede by Hubble. It was suspected for long, but now, the Hubble telescope seems to have pinpointed that fact. In fact, Hubble has found strong evidence of water vapor on Ganymede. It is being argued that the water vapor has come from ice on Ganymede, which turned to gas (vapor) in a process known as sublimation - ice never manages to turn into a liquid form there due to the extreme cold. Temperatures on Ganymede are extremely low, anywhere between minus 113 degrees Celsius to minus 183 degrees Celsius. The process of sublimation happens sometime during the day when the temperature rises enough to release some water molecules. The findings have been published in Nature Astronomy.

Researchers used some new data collected by Hubble alongside the old, to come to this conclusion. However, water has long been suspected to be on Ganymede in one form or the other. In fact, some have even claimed that there is more water on Ganymede than there is in Earth's oceans. However, now, with Hubble's help, it is turning out to be more than just a theory and that there may be some fact in it too.

You may be interested in

Mobiles Tablets Laptops
7% OFF
Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • Black Titanium
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 256 GB Storage
₹148,900₹159,900
Buy now
23% OFF
Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra 5G
  • Green
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 256 GB Storage
₹115,999₹149,999
Buy now
Google Pixel 8 Pro
  • Obsidian
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹106,998
Check details
Apple iPhone 15 Plus
  • Black
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹87,900
Check details
21% OFF
Acer Swift Go SFG14 41 NX KG3SI 002 Laptop
  • Pure Silver
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹58,990₹74,999
Buy now
39% OFF
Acer Aspire 5 A515 57G Laptop
  • Gray
  • 16 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹54,949₹89,999
Buy now
22% OFF
Acer Aspire 3 A315 24 NX KDESI 004 Laptop
  • Silver
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹33,499₹42,999
Buy now
39% OFF
Asus VivoBook 15 X515JA BQ322WS Laptop
  • Transparent Silver
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹31,490₹51,990
Buy now
34% OFF
Xiaomi Pad 6
  • Mist Blue
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹26,299₹39,999
Buy now
55% OFF
Lenovo Tab M10 5G
  • Abyss Blue
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹20,999₹47,000
Buy now
32% OFF
Realme Pad 2
  • Imagination Grey
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹19,790₹28,999
Buy now
Honor Pad X9
  • Gray
  • 4 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹14,999
Check details

Also read: Looking for a smartphone? Check Mobile Finder here.

Ganymede is special in more than one way. Not just presence of ice/water vapor, the other factors that keep the spotlight on it is that it is the largest moon in our solar system. It is also the 9th-largest object there. As if that was not enough, it is also the only moon with its own magnetic field, which cause auroras - these are ribbons of glowing, electrified gas.

Although the water or ice is surmised to be as far as 160 km below the crust, what makes scientists really excited about it is the old saying - where there is water, there is life. And if there is water, then it can be potentially habitable for humans some time in the future.

Catch all the Latest Tech News, Mobile News, Laptop News, Gaming news, Wearables News , How To News, also keep up with us on ,Twitter, Facebook, , and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

First Published Date: 28 Jul, 07:20 IST

Sale

Mobiles Tablets Laptops
4% OFF
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra
  • Titanium Black
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 256 GB Storage
₹129,999₹134,999
Buy now
13% OFF
Xiaomi 14
  • Matte Black
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 512 GB Storage
₹69,999₹79,999
Buy now
10% OFF
Apple iPhone 15 Plus
  • Black
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹72,200₹79,900
Buy now
12% OFF
IQOO 12 5G
  • Legend
  • 12 GB RAM
  • 256 GB Storage
₹52,999₹59,999
Buy now
35% OFF
Xiaomi Pad 6
  • Mist Blue
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹25,925₹39,999
Buy now
38% OFF
Lenovo Tab M10 5G
  • Abyss Blue
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹20,999₹34,000
Buy now
50% OFF
Realme Pad 2
  • Imagination Grey
  • 6 GB RAM
  • 128 GB Storage
₹12,999₹25,999
Buy now
57% OFF
Honor Pad X8
  • Blue Hour
  • 3 GB RAM
  • 32 GB Storage
₹8,999₹20,999
Buy now
29% OFF
Asus ROG Flow X13 GV301RE LI201WS Laptop
  • Off Black
  • 32 GB RAM
  • 1 TB SSD
₹89,789₹125,989
Buy now
39% OFF
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401QH HZ076TS Laptop
  • Black
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 1 TB SSD
₹94,990₹155,990
Buy now
31% OFF
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 GA401QC HZ094TS Laptop
  • Grey
  • 16 GB RAM
  • 1 TB SSD
₹94,999₹137,990
Buy now
27% OFF
Asus TUF Gaming F15 FX506HC HN089WS Laptop
  • Graphite Black
  • 8 GB RAM
  • 512 GB SSD
₹60,990₹82,990
Buy now
NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS