Two articles published in the journal “Nature Astronomy” report as many studies on the presence of water on the Moon. A team of researchers used the SOFIA flying telescope to find direct evidence of the presence of water molecules even in regions other than the polar ones. Another team examined the so-called cold traps, regions in the shadows on the lunar surface where there’s perennial darkness that can allow the presence of water ice, mapping their distribution. In the end, the amount of water present on the Moon may be far greater than that known from previous research. However, there are still various questions, starting with the possibility that it’s partly present in glass beads and therefore not immediately usable in space missions.

An article accepted for publication in “The Planetary Science Journal” reports a study on Io, one of Jupiter’s satellites, which specifically concerns its volcanoes. A team of researchers led by astronomer Imke de Pater of the University of Berkeley, USA, used the ALMA radio telescope to examine Io’s atmosphere as it enters and leaves Jupiter’s shadow, a phenomenon called an eclipse. That’s because during an eclipse it receives no sunlight, temperatures drop to the point that only the sulfur dioxide emitted by volcanoes is warm enough not to solidify. The conclusion is that between 30% and 40% of Io’s atmosphere is generated by volcanic activity. The researchers also found that some volcanoes emit not sulfur compounds but potassium chloride.