INDIAN ORIGIN NASA RESEARCHER DISCOVERS JUPITER'S MOON EUROPA GLOWS IN THE DARK

The Show Time/source India Times

We all know that Jupiter is the largest planet in our solar system. Moreover, it is also the planet with 79 moons. Researchers have discovered that strong radiation from the large planet causes Europa's dark side to glow in the dark, making scientists believe that it could sustain simple life forms.

This is according to a study published in the journal Nature Astronomy. This outcome was a result of several experiments conducted by NASA scientists to understand the effects of Jupiter's radiation on the chemical composition of Europa.

For this experiment, they built an 'ice chamber' at JPL in Pasadena, California. The chamber consisted of chemicals that scientists believe are found on the Moon. They then exposed the moon to a beam of high-energy electrons to simulate Jupiter's radiation. Scientists found that every time the radiation hits the chemicals, it glows. And the glow went off the moment the beam was turned off. JPL's Murthy Gudipati, the lead author of the study, said "If Europa weren't under this radiation, it would look the way our moon looks to us dark on the shadowed side. But because it's bombarded by the radiation from Jupiter, it glows in the dark."