Persistent Water Vapor in One Hemisphere of Europa

Produced by the Space Telescope Science Institute’s Office of Public Outreach in collaboration with NASA’s Universe of Learning partners: Caltech/IPAC, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

 

Video imagery:

·       Animation of Jupiter and Europa with plumes: NASA, ESA, and G. Bacon (STScI)

·       Animation, plumes on Europa: NASA, GSFC

·       Voyager 2 image of Europa crescent: NASA/JPL/USGS

·       Cassini images of Europa plumes: NASA

·       Animations of Europa and Jupiter: NASA, GSFC

Writer: Leah Ramsay

Designer: Leah Hustak

Science review: Dr. Emma Marcucci 

Education review: Jim Manning

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A grid of photographs of celestial bodies moves up. A white line moves down and another across. Text, News from the universe. The text is above an image of Jupiter.

 

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Text, October 21, 2021. Persistent water vapor in one hemisphere of Europa. An image of Europa with Jupiter in the background.

 

Text, Long-term Hubble Space Telescope observations show a water vapor atmosphere over part of Europa. The image of Europa, with shaded areas and lines, moves forward, and three glowing domes of light appear on the far side.

 

Text, Hubble has previously detected huge water plumes erupting through Europa's thick surface ice. Animations, A plume of water erupts from a surface. Clouds move above a lined surface.

 

Text, Revisiting Hubble ultraviolet observations spanning from 1999 to 2015 showed water vapor spread over a large area, forming an atmosphere. The surface of Europa in partial eclipse.

 

Text, However, water vapor is only indicated in the planet's trailing hemisphere. The cause for this is not fully understood. Bright diffuse light emanates from the bottom of a sphere. A planetary surface with plumes of light.

 

Text, Upcoming spacecraft missions to study Europa will be able to capture more detail on the planet's atmosphere and suspected sub-surface ocean. Animation, Clouds move above a lined surface.

 

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Text, This news was brought to you in part by the Space Telescope Science institute in Baltimore Maryland