Discovered Water reservoir in an Unforeseen Extraterrestrial Location

In the distant reaches of our solar system, a celestial body of significant interest has been making waves in the scientific community. Charon, the largest moon of Pluto, has been the subject of numerous studies, and recent findings suggest that it might have once been home to an ancient ocean.

The first indication of water ice on Charon was observed in 1987, and since then, research has uncovered more intriguing details about this icy satellite. The Kuiper Belt, the area just beyond Neptune where Pluto and its moons reside, has been the focus of many surveys, and the discovery of water and ammonia ice on Charon aligns with these findings.

In 2000, researchers published their findings about a crystalline form of water ice covering most of Charon's surface in the prestigious journal Science. This discovery was followed by the identification of ammonia ice on Charon, suggesting former and possible active geological activity.

The International Gemini Observatory in Hawaii dubbed Charon a "possible outer solar system ice machine" in 2007, after high-resolution spectra revealed frigid geysers gushing material through Charon's crust. These geysers suggest that the center of Charon contains liquid water.

Fast forward to 2015, the New Horizons spacecraft, which had been on a mission to Pluto and its moons since 2006, provided groundbreaking images of Charon. These images, published in the Icarus journal, showed terrains consistent with an ancient ocean across all of Charon.

The research team led by Francis Nimmo, in their publication in the same journal, investigated the properties of a possible underground ocean on Charon. They suggested that it's plausible for an underground ocean to be escaping on Charon, creating its icy surface.

Cryovolcanism, a phenomenon common among celestial bodies in the distant solar system, is thought to be responsible for this process. In cryovolcanism, water rises to the surface and turns into ice crystals, indicating the presence of liquid water in the center.

These discoveries have led scientists to believe that Charon, once a potential outer solar system ice machine, might have been home to an ancient ocean. The ongoing studies of Charon and other celestial bodies in the Kuiper Belt continue to expand our understanding of the early solar system and the possibilities of life beyond Earth.