You could either choose to start with an Access module , or a module which allows you to count your previous learning towards an Open University qualification. Read our guide on Where to take your learning next for more information. Not ready for formal University study? Then browse over free courses on OpenLearn and sign up to our newsletter to hear about new free courses as they are released. Every year, thousands of students decide to study with The Open University.
Request an Open University prospectus OpenLearn works with other organisations by providing free courses and resources that support our mission of opening up educational opportunities to more people in more places. All rights reserved. The Open University is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to its secondary activity of credit broking.
Skip to main content. The mission is currently in the proposal stage. That may not be completely out of line. A Uranus mission was one of the highest priorities for the Visions and Voyages Decadal Survey, which outlined top scientific goals for the year period between and However, the ROW study pointed out that traveling to Neptune would satisfy the requirements of studying an ice giant while also covering Triton.
Understanding whether Triton has an ocean is key to understanding not only the potential habitability of the small moon, but also establishing the way life may evolve elsewhere in the solar system. Europa and Enceladus, whose subsurface oceans are known to exist, are clearly a high priority. But Hansen is confident that the discoveries made at those sites will affect studies of Triton.
How unique is Enceladus? If neither Enceladus nor Europa hosts life, then researchers will want to find other sites where life could have evolved. And even if both worlds are rich in alien life, a study of Triton could increase understanding of the various paths life does — or does not — travel to evolve.
For Hendrix, the call to explore Triton is one of diversity. Currently, the Europa Clipper mission is preparing to send an orbiter to Europa to investigate the moon, and there is also talk of a subsequent lander mission. But Hendrix is wary of focusing too much on a single target. Receive news, sky-event information, observing tips, and more from Astronomy's weekly email newsletter. View our Privacy Policy. By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers.
We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. Login or Register Customer Service. RISE —. PHASE —. Tonight's Sky — Change location. US state, Canadian province, or country. This atmosphere most likely originates from Triton's volcanic activity, which is driven by seasonal heating by the Sun. Triton, Io and Venus are the only bodies in the solar system besides Earth that are known to be volcanically active at the present time. Triton is one of the coolest objects in our solar system. It is so cold that most of Triton's nitrogen is condensed as frost, giving its surface an icy sheen that reflects 70 percent of the sunlight that hits it.
During its flyby, Voyager 2 also found Triton has active geysers, making it one of the few geologically active moons in our solar system. Triton is named after the son of Poseidon the Greek god comparable to the Roman Neptune. Until the discovery of the second moon Nereid in , Triton was commonly known as simply "the satellite of Neptune. Overview Triton is the largest of Neptune's 13 moons. A 3D model of Triton, a moon of Neptune.
This page showcases our resources for those interested in learning more about ocean worlds. Ocean Worlds Resources. This causes the moon's polar and equatorial regions to be alternately pointed towards the Sun. This causes extreme seasonal changes as Triton's orientation changes. This uneven heating and cooling could account for some of the moon's curious surface features. Triton has an extremely thin atmosphere composed mainly of nitrogen and methane.
There are very few craters visible on the surface, indicating that the moon is very young and probably highly active. There are high ridges and deep valleys all over the moon's surface. Perhaps the most interesting discovery to be made by Voyager 2 was Triton's ice volcanoes. Voyager photographed a plume of frozen material being ejected from the moon's surface.
Astronomers believe this material to be composed of liquid nitrogen or methane. To search this site, type your search word s in the box below and click the search button:.
0コメント