Aurora and Volcano 01/29/06

Comments and questions about the APOD on the main view screen.
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drmarc
Asternaut
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Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:16 pm
Location: Salt Lake City, UT

Aurora and Volcano 01/29/06

Post by drmarc » Mon Jan 30, 2006 7:22 pm

A spectacular picture!! The question was asked if Earth were the only body in the Solar System with both Auroras and Volcanos. The answer is an emphatic no. I refer you to APOD 10/16/98 (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap981016.html) that shows Io's aurora.
Marc Williams

pkohlmil
Asternaut
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Joined: Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:27 pm

Aurorae and Volcanos

Post by pkohlmil » Mon Jan 30, 2006 9:33 pm

Alas, Io is not a planet. The Jovian system has both volcanos and aurorae but it probably doesn't make a lot of sense to say that the gas giant planets have volcanos. However, you do need a good magnetic field to have aurorae so Earth is probably the only planet to have both.

Empeda2
Science Officer
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Joined: Sat Oct 29, 2005 9:02 am

Post by Empeda2 » Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:20 pm

Mars would have had both in the past - it has both extinct volcanoes and faint UV aurorae.... 8)
The Artist Formerly Known as Empeda

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