Jupiter, the largest planet, with its 79 moons, and Saturn, the second largest, with its 82 moons, have approximately 75% of the more than 200 moons orbiting many of the major and dwarf planets in the Solar System. Jupiter’s four massive moons maintain the faint King of Planets ring system. Saturn’s moons stabilize the planet’s rings by spinning within or near the rings. In addition, at least two of the planet-like icy moons of Saturn and Jupiter have the potential to support life.
Although scientists have yet to find evidence of extraterrestrial life, Earth’s moon has the distinction of being the only celestial body visited by humans so far. Earth’s only moon and brightest object in the sky after the sun that can harbor life Still being explored, the moon is instrumental in helping sustain life on Earth by stabilizing its orbital axis and climate. So, while the Moon is essential to the Earth’s functioning, will Earth return the favor?
The moon is rusty
Mars, or the red planet, is rich in iron. It also contains traces of brine water and oxygen. Rust forms when iron is exposed to oxygen and water. It is likely that the cause of the rusty surface of Mars. Since there is no clear evidence that the moon contains oxygen, air and water – which are essential to sustain life as well as cause rust – the presence of rust on the moon’s surface came as a shock to scientists.
When scientists analyzed data from an instrument built by NASA aboard the Indian Space Research Organization’s lunar spacecraft, they found hematite. It is an oxidized iron metal found on the surfaces of Earth and Mars. The surface of the moon is full of iron-rich rocks. But neither hematite nor rust can be created in the absence of oxygen and water.
“At first, I didn’t quite believe it.” said Abigail Freeman, a planetary scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “It shouldn’t exist based on the conditions on the Moon. But ever since we discovered water on the moon, people have been speculating that there might be a wider variety of minerals than we realize if that water interacted with rocks.”
Is it our planet’s fault?
surely. Much of the moon’s 41%-45% oxygen is trapped within the regolith – the top layer of rock – along with a number of minerals. Since it cannot interact with iron, the discovery suggests that Earth may have a role to play.
Earth sends oxygen to the moon. During the full moon, when the moon enters and exits the Earth’s magnetic tail, oxygen from Earth’s upper atmosphere descends onto the moon’s surface, exposed to water molecules there, and creates rust. At the same time, Earth blocks nearly 99% of the solar winds targeting the hydrogen-rich moon. The solar wind transports hydrogen to the Moon, which makes rust more difficult to form. Therefore, when the solar wind is obstructed, the flow of hydrogen is inhibited, and rust forms.
Reem El Shazly
