Monday, February 9, 2009

Jovian Planets




Helium Rain



Illustration by Jonathan DuBois
"As Jupiter and Saturn cool, the interior of the planets will approach temperatures where hydrogen and helium no longer mix. This process, which is likely to have already occurred in Saturn, could lead to the formation of helium droplets that would "rain down" towards the center of the planet and provide an additional source of heat."





No comments: