Venus ate its moon: How Earth's 'twin' could have swallowed a rocky satellite
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.
Scientists propose that Venus, similar in size and structure to Earth, may have swallowed its moon. Researchers at UC Riverside found that Venus's slow rotation and strong gravity likely caused any moons to spiral inward and crash into the planet. Unlike Earth's moon, which is moving away due to Earth's rapid rotation, Venus's slow spin would cause a hypothetical moon to spiral inward.
The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal, used computer models to simulate the evolution of Venus and its hypothetical moon. In nearly all scenarios, the moon collided with Venus. While the research doesn't prove Venus once had a moon, it suggests that if one existed, it would have been destroyed. The findings have implications for the potential habitability of Venus, as a moon could have influenced the planet's rotation, geology, and climate.
The study also raises questions about the habitability requirements of Earth-like planets, as the presence of a moon could have significant effects on a planet's evolution.
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