Tidal Heating Can Melt Moons

Gravity warms interiors.

Strong tidal forces between a planet and its moon can generate internal heat, driving volcanic activity or subsurface oceans.

Why This Matters

This affects potential habitability and geological studies.

It also demonstrates how celestial mechanics impacts energy distribution.

Did You Know?

Jupiter’s moon Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar system due to tidal heating.

Source

[NASA, nasa.gov]

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