Carbon oxides on Uranus’ moon Ariel hint at hidden ocean, Webb telescope reveals

The surface of Uranus’ moon Ariel is coated with a significant amount of carbon dioxide ice, especially on its “trailing hemisphere” that always faces away from the moon’s direction of orbital motion. This fact presents a surprise because even at the frigid reaches of the Uranian system—20 times farther from the sun than Earth—carbon dioxide readily turns to gas and is lost to space. The surface of Uranus’ moon Ariel is coated with a significant amount of carbon dioxide ice, especially on its “trailing hemisphere” that always faces away from the moon’s direction of orbital motion. This fact presents a surprise because even at the frigid reaches of the Uranian system—20 times farther from the sun than Earth—carbon dioxide readily turns to gas and is lost to space. Planetary Sciences Phys.org – latest science and technology news stories