Moons

Charon, Pluto’s giant twin moon, reveals a world of icy canyons, rugged plains, and a striking red polar cap. Larger than half the size of Pluto, it forms a rare binary system where both bodies orbit a shared point in space. Charon’s unique geology and partnership with Pluto make it a key to unlocking Kuiper Belt mysteries.

Earth’s Moon is a giant born of a colossal impact, while Mars’ tiny moons Phobos and Deimos may be captured asteroids. Their origins, chemistry, orbits, and futures could not be more different. Together they highlight the diversity of moons in our solar system and reveal how cosmic collisions and captures shape the worlds we see today.

Beneath Europa’s frozen crust lies a vast ocean, warmed by tidal forces and enriched with chemistry that could support life. From surface cracks to future missions, discover why this icy moon of Jupiter is one of the most promising places in the solar system to search for alien organisms.

Over four billion years ago, a colossal collision between Earth and a Mars-sized body created the Moon. This giant impact not only shaped Luna’s composition but also influenced Earth’s tilt, tides, and long-term habitability. Discover how a single violent event forged our closest neighbor and set the stage for life on our planet.

The Moon’s far side is no longer hidden—it is a rugged, ancient hemisphere unlike the face we see from Earth. From the South Pole–Aitken Basin to Chang’e 4’s groundbreaking landing, discover the secrets, mysteries, and future promise of Luna’s most mysterious realm.

From Jupiter’s mythic lovers to Pluto’s underworld spirits, every moon’s name carries a story. Explore how ancient myths, literature, and modern astronomy intertwine in naming the moons that light our solar system—and reveal how science keeps humanity’s imagination alive among the stars.

From Jupiter’s mythic lovers to Pluto’s underworld spirits, every moon’s name carries a story. Explore how ancient myths, literature, and modern astronomy intertwine in naming the moons that light our solar system—and reveal how science keeps humanity’s imagination alive among the stars.

The Moon’s surface is constantly reshaped by solar radiation. From nanophase iron that darkens its soil to hydrogen and helium implanted by the solar wind, Luna’s chemistry records billions of years of cosmic weather. These changes reveal not only the Moon’s dynamic past but also clues for exploration, resources, and the history of our Sun.

Earth’s Moon is a rocky, airless relic, while Titan, Europa, and Ganymede are icy worlds with atmospheres, oceans, and active geology. Their contrasts reveal how moons evolve under different conditions and highlight the potential for life beyond Earth. Together, they show the incredible diversity of natural satellites shaping the solar system’s story.

Miranda, Uranus’s “Frankenstein Moon,” is a tiny world with giant surprises. From Verona Rupes, the tallest cliff in the solar system, to its bizarre patchwork coronae, this stitched-together moon challenges our understanding of how moons form and evolve in the outer solar system.

Phobos and Deimos are Mars’s small, irregular moons—mysterious worlds that may be captured asteroids or impact fragments. From Phobos’s doomed orbit to Deimos’s quiet drift, these moons hold secrets about the solar system’s past and possibilities for humanity’s future among the planets.

Journey through our solar system’s most captivating moons—Ganymede, Titan, Europa, and beyond. Discover their immense size, hidden oceans, volcanic power, and icy mysteries in this stellar ranking that unveils the wonders orbiting our planets and the secrets they hold about life, formation, and the universe itself.