The US-based space agency NASA has claimed that it detected FM radio signals from one of the moons of Jupiter. It said that signals were received from Ganymede which is the largest moon in our solar system. It is also the ninth-largest object. It doesn’t have a substantial atmosphere. Past studies determined that it has a diameter of 5,268 km. NASA said that it recently came to light that FM radio signals were emanating from Ganymede. This is for the first time such signals have been reported. The agency, however, clarified that signals are not a sign of extraterrestrial life. It termed the signals a result of a natural function on the moon.
NASA said that the signals were received by Juno spacecraft. Juno is an orbital probe launched by NASA to explore the gas giant. It was launched in 2011. It entered a polar orbit of the planet after five years of journey. It has unlocked many secrets hiding within the solar system’s largest planet. NASA said that Juno detected the signal and located its source from Ganymede. It said that the cyclotron maser instability process led to the creation of signals. The spacecraft observed the signal for just five seconds. Ganymede possesses a metallic core. It is estimated that the moon contains more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined. It orbits Jupiter in seven Earth days.
Meanwhile, NASA has authorized a mission extension for its Juno spacecraft. Juno will continue to conduct scientific experiments around Jupiter till September 2025. The future targets for exploration include the ice-covered liquid ocean of Europa. Europa is also one of the 79 moons. Last year, astronomers claimed to observe the effect of volcanic activity on Io’s atmosphere. All the three Ganymede, Europa, and Io are three of the four Galilean moons. The fourth one is Callisto. All the four moons are visible from Earth with binoculars. The gas giant is too visible to the naked eye from Earth at night.
