Recent Discoveries
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In the last few decades, our space program has made many discoveries in astronomy that may be considered important for the existence of life on other planets and moons in our solar system and in systems beyond. Some of these more recent discoveries are listed below.
* Jupiter's moon Europa has oxygen in its atmosphere Discovery made by the Hubble Space Telescope. HubbleSite News Center - February 23, 1995
* Jupiter's moon Europa may have liquid ocean beneath its icy crust Discovery made by the orbiting Galileo spacecraft raises hopes that there may be life on Europa. JPL News Release - August 13, 1996
* Ionosphere discovered on Europa Discovery made by NASA's Galileo spacecraft orbiting Jupiter and although the ionosphere is tenuous, scientists believe that it is strong enough to infer that there is an atmosphere there. This finding follows the Hubble Space Telescope observation in 1996 which indicated the presence of oxygen emissions on Europa. NASA/JPL News Release - July 18, 1997
* Magnetic field discovered on Mars Discovered by the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft orbiting the red planet, the magnetic field discovery has important implications for the geological history of Mars and also for the possible development and continued existence of life on the planet. NASA/JPL News Release - September 17, 1997
* Oxygen discovered at surface of Jupiter's moon Callisto Oxygen discovered by the Galileo spacecraft orbiting the planet Jupiter. Science Daily - December 11, 1997
* Observations show that water exists in Orion Nebula Astronomical observations show presence of water in Orion and that it is still forming there. Astronomy Picture of the Day - April 21, 1998
* Possible subsurface ocean on Jupiter's moon Callisto Data from the Galileo spacecraft suggests that there may be a salty, surface ocean on Callisto raising the prospect that some form of life may exist there. JPL News Release - October 21, 1998
* Hubble Space Telescope reveals dynamic seasons on Uranus Images from Hubble show that this faraway planet has its seasons as it travels on its 84 year journey around the sun. CNN News Release - March 30, 1999
* Liquid water may be near or at the surface of Mars Images taken by the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft show that liquid water may be presently on Mars, perhaps near the surface. JPL News Release - June 22, 2000
* Large ice reservoir believed to have been found on Mars This near surface reservoir about the size of Arizona is located in the Solis Planum area of Mars according to researchers Nadine Barlow of the University of Central Florida's Robinson Observatory and graduate assistant John Koroshetz. "Much of the water that appears to have existed on Mars is likely still there," says Barlow. The study was done by examining many Mars photos taken by the Viking Orbiters during the 1970's. Space.com News Release - September 20, 2000
* Asteroid belt like ours spotted around another star This asteroid belt much like the one in our own solar system was found to be orbiting this young star located 60-70 light-years away from Earth. Space.com News Release - June 4, 2001
* Vast quantities of water vapor, maybe comets orbiting the star CW Leonis "The finding at a star called CW Leonis suggests the star is the center of a late-stage solar system and that water might be prevalent in planetary systems beyond our own. As water is the key ingredient for life, the finding supports the idea that there might be life beyond our solar system." Space.com News Release - July 11, 2001
* Evidence of living organisms found on Mars Evidence reported by Hungarian scientists after analyzing 60,000 photographs taken by the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft. The scientists said the pictures they examined "showed evidence of thousands of dark dune spots, similar to organisms found near the Earth's South Pole, in craters in Mars snowy southern polar region." Wired News - September 7, 2001
* First supernovae quickly seeded universe with elements of life Exploding stars in the early universe seeded the universe with elements necessary for life such as carbon, oxygen and iron. Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics Press Release - September 18, 2003
* Evidence of organic chemistry in distant galaxy Nasa's Spitzer Space Telescope finds evidence of organic molecules which are the building blocks of life in a distant galaxy. Cornell Chronicle - December 19, 2003
* Water spread across much of ancient Mars, creating conditions for life New data show that water existed across hundreds of thousands of square miles in the Meridiani Planum region of Mars. Space.com News Release - February 17, 2004
* Organic materials necessary for life found in planetary construction zones Spitzer Space Telescope finds large amounts of icy organic materials sprinkled in "planetary construction zones" or dusty discs where planets form around young stars. Caltech News Release - May 27, 2004
* Earth-like meteorology and geology on Titan The Huygens lander of the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft lands on Saturn's largest moon Titan and discovers Earth-like features. European Space Agency News Release - January 21, 2005
* Asteroid belt possibly discovered around sun-like star Nasa's Spitzer Space Telescope has detected what may be an asteroid belt around the sun-like star HD 69830. This discovery may represent a significant step toward learning if and where other Earths form. NASA/JPL News Release - April 20, 2005
* Earth-like extrasolar planet found A planet that is about 7.5 times as massive as the Earth and is believed to be a rocky type planet has been discovered orbiting the red dwarf star Gliese 876. University of California-Berkeley Press Release - June 13, 2005
* Auroras discovered on Mars Hundreds of auroras have been detected by the Mars Global Surveyor over the past six years. U.C. Berkeley Press Release - December 12, 2005
* Basic ingredients of life found around a young star The basic life ingredients have been detected by the Spitzer Space Telescope. Spitzer Space Telescope Media Release - December 20, 2005
* Planetary systems can form around binary stars Planets can form around binaries in much the same manner as around single stars. Carnegie Institute News Release - January 10, 2006
* NASA's Cassini discovers potential liquid water on Saturn's moon Enceladus Discovery of possible water on this moon could mean that some type of life could exist there as well. NASA/JPL News Release - March 9, 2006
* Cassini spacecraft finds lakes on Saturn's moon Titan New radar images from Cassini show a number of lakes in the arctic region of Titan. NASA/JPL News Release - July 27, 2006
* Researchers discover eight new organic molecules in space An international research team using the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope discover eight new complex, biologically-significant molecules in interstellar space. National Radio Astronomy Observatory News Release - August 7, 2006
* Spitzer telescope discovers nearly 2,300 planet-forming disks in Orion cloud Spitzer discovers many stars in the constellation Orion with dust disks that could be forming planets. NASA/JPL News Release - August 14, 2006
* Comets appear to contain the building blocks of life Stardust Examination Team discovers two kinds of nitrogen-rich organic molecules in Comet Wild 2. JPL News Feature - December 14, 2006
* European astronomers discover possible Earth-like planet Astronomers have found a planet orbiting the star Gliese 581 in the Constellation Libra in what they call a "habitable zone" and may contain life. Planet Quest News Release - April 25, 2007
* NASA's planetary radars show that Mercury may have a molten core NASA's use of high-precision radars provide strong evidence that the planet Mercury has a molten core which helps solve a 30 year mystery. NASA/JPL News Release - May 3, 2007
* Mars rover Spirit finds surprise evidence of a wetter past Spirit finds much silica - an indication that there was much water present on Mars in the past. NASA/JPL News Release - May 21, 2007
* NASA's Spitzer finds water vapor on extrasolar planet Spitzer Space Telescope detects the presence of water vapor on planet HD189733b which orbits its parent star every two days or so. This discovery could mean that other extrasolar planets can have water also. NASA/JPL News Release - July 11, 2007
* NASA scientist confirms light show on Venus The European Space Agency's Venus Express mission has confirmed the presence of lightning in the atmosphere of Venus says NASA sponsored scientist Christopher Russell. NASA/JPL News Release - November 28, 2007
* Unique Martian formation reproduced reveals brief bursts of water Researchers from the U.S. and Netherlands have reported that several fan-like formations on Mars indicate a rapid release of water from the planet's interior. Virginia Tech News Release - February 21, 2008
* Astronomers detect first organic molecule on an exo-planet Astronomers made the first detection ever of an organic molecule in the atmosphere of a Jupiter-sized planet orbiting another star. NASA/JPL News Release - March 19, 2008
* LCROSS Finds Water on the Moon Researchers reveal preliminary data from NASA's Lunar Crater Observation and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) indicating that water exists in a permanently shadowed crater. Science at NASA News Release - November 13, 2009
* Extrasolar planet which may have water discovered A planet not much larger than our own Earth that orbits a red dwarf star some 40 light years away has an atmosphere and most likely water as well. Space.com News Report - December 16, 2009
* NASA radar finds ice deposits at Moon's north pole A NASA radar instrument aboard India's Chandrayaan-1 spacecraft has detected at least 1.3 million tons of ice deposits near the Moon's north pole. NASA News Release - March 1, 2010
* Lunar Scientists Discover Much More Water on the Moon Researchers say findings show there is an active water cycle on the moon. Science at NASA News Release - March 18, 2010
* Scientists report that Moon has more water than previously thought Latest findings show that there is more than enough water in lunar rocks to fill the Great Lakes here on Earth. CNN News - June 17, 2010
* Lunar Crater Observatory and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) Results Released NASA Lunar mission uncovers the moon's buried treasures. NASA LCROSS Mission News - October 21, 2010
* Cassini Finds Ethereal Atmosphere at Saturn's moon Rhea Rhea was found to have a very tenuous atmosphere infused with oxygen and carbon dioxide. Cassini Solstice Mission News - November 26, 2010