(NASA/JPL-Caltech/Peter Rubin)
Scientists have long speculated why Venus, with a size, mass and structure similar to Earth’s, doesn’t have a moon. New UC Riverside research shows that our hungry twin likely swallowed it.
In the past, scientists theorized that Venus possibly had a moon that was hit by something massive, obliterating it. Other theories centered on the idea that Venus never underwent a collision that formed a moon in the first place.
The new research, published in The Astrophysical Journal, shows that neither theory fits.
“My study shows Venus didn’t require a catastrophe to arrive at what we can see today,” said UCR astrophysicist and lead author Stephen Kane...
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