Venus's Fate: a Moon That Never Stood a Chance

WHO:

Mashable - Researchers from UC Riverside conducted the study on Venus's potential moon.

WHAT:

Mashable - The study suggests that if Venus ever had a moon, it was doomed due to the planet's slow spin.

Science Daily - Computer simulations indicated that a moon around Venus would likely spiral inward and crash into the planet rather than drift away.

WHERE:

Science Daily - The research pertains to Venus, the second planet from the Sun in our solar system.

WHY:

Science Daily - The slow rotation of Venus is cited as a reason for the potential doom of any moon it may have had.

HOW:

Science Daily - The study utilized computer simulations to analyze the behavior of a hypothetical moon around Venus.

(UPDATED September 16, 2026 15:01 UTC)

Researchers from UC Riverside have conducted a study suggesting that if Venus ever had a moon, it was likely doomed due to the planet's slow spin. Computer simulations revealed that a moon around Venus would probably spiral inward and crash into the planet rather than drift away. This research sheds light on the dynamics of celestial bodies in our solar system, specifically focusing on the second planet from the Sun.