JUICE – our best chance to find life beyond Earth?
Decades in the planning, ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE for short) is scheduled for launch this April. It’s the first of Europe’s three planned L-class missions, the largest and most costly class of campaign in Europe’s long-term plan for space exploration. We’re excited to be covering the mission in Will Gater’s feature exploring the spacecraft and its science goals, which include investigating whether conditions could be favourable for life under the thick ice crusts of Callisto, Ganymede and Europa.
Jupiter isn’t visible in April (it’s hidden in the Sun’s glare), but for planetary observers it’s all about Mercury this month. An elusive world that stays close to our central star in the sky, this month sees it reach its furthest distance from the Sun, setting two hours after sunset and visible in the evening. It’s the best chance this year of seeing the innermost planet, so turn to Charlotte Daniel’s observing guide to make the most of it! Then turn to the Sky Guide for the many other stargazing delights the night sky has in store for us in April – meteor showers, delightful conjunctions and star clusters included.
Also this month, many will be pleased to hear that The Sky at Night team returns to our screens on BBC Four on 10 April. Maggie, Chris and Pete will be looking at JUICE and other missions that are furthering our understanding of where alien life could exist. You can read Inside the Sky at Night for more details.
Enjoy the issue!
PS Our next issue goes on sale on Thursday 20 April.