SolarExplorer

Natural Satellites & Ocean Worlds

Major Moons

Over 290 moons orbit the planets of our Solar System. Discover active water geysers, liquid hydrocarbon seas, subterranean oceans, and sulfur volcanoes.

Titan

Saturn VI

The second-largest moon in the Solar System and the only one with a dense nitrogen atmosphere. Titan features liquid methane and ethane rain, rivers, and vast lakes like Kraken Mare.

2,574 km
15.9 Days
95% Nitrogen
-179°C

Europa

Jupiter II

Encased in a smooth shell of water ice, Europa shelters a global liquid water ocean beneath its crust containing twice the volume of all Earth's oceans combined — a top target for astrobiology.

1,560 km
3.55 Days
60–150 km
Water Ice

Io

Jupiter I

Torn by extreme gravitational tidal flexing between Jupiter and Europa, Io is the most volcanically active body in the Solar System, with over 400 active volcanoes spewing sulfur plumes 500 km high.

1,821 km
1.77 Days
400+ Active
Sulfur / Lava

Enceladus

Saturn II

A dazzling white icy world that reflects nearly 100% of sunlight. Hydrothermal geysers at its south pole erupt jets of water ice, salt, and organic compounds into space, feeding Saturn's E ring.

252 km
1.37 Days
Cryovolcanic
Subsurface Saline

Triton

Neptune I

The only large moon with a retrograde orbit (orbiting opposite to Neptune's rotation), suggesting it is a captured Kuiper Belt object. Triton features nitrogen ice geysers and cantaloupe-like terrain.

1,353 km
5.88 Days (Retro)
-235°C
Nitrogen Gas

Phobos & Deimos

Martian Moons

Mars's tiny, lumpy, cratered moons are thought to be captured C-type asteroids. Phobos orbits so close to Mars (6,000 km) that it orbits faster than Mars rotates and will eventually break apart or crash.

22.2 km
12.6 km
7h 39m
30h 18m