Possible Volcanic Moon Detected 635 Light Years Away

The existence of exomoons (moons around planets outside our solar system) has long been theorized, but their detection has remained elusive due to their small size and faintness. A new NASA-led study, however, suggests that a potential exomoon may be orbiting the exoplanet WASP-49 b, a gas giant located 635 light-years from Earth. The possible exomoon is believed to be rocky and volcanically active, similar to Jupiter’s moon Io.

The study centers on a sodium cloud near WASP-49 b that was discovered in 2017, and which shares characteristics with the gas emissions seen around Io. The scientists tracked the cloud’s motion and the data strongly indicates the presence of a separate orbiting body — an exomoon — as the source.

Further observations are needed to confirm the existence of this potential exomoon. If WASP-49 b indeed hosts a moon similar in size to that of Earth, the exomoon may face a violent fate: Gravitational forces from the exoplanet could eventually cause it to disintegrate.