The four biggest moons of Uranus may harbor salty oceans below their frozen surfaces, a new study suggests.
Scientists taking a fresh look at 40-year-old data sent home by NASA's Voyager 2 spacecraft say that the satellites Titania and Oberon, which orbit the farthest from Uranus among the group, may have buried oceans 30 miles (50 kilometers) deep, while those of Ariel and Umbriel may be 19 miles (30 km) deep. The new research explains how the persistent internal heat of the Uranian moons and a few chemicals could make them watery worlds despite their location in the frigid outer reaches of the solar system.
