A peculiar, spider-like scar on Jupiter's icy moon Europa indicates a place where salty water once erupted through its broken crust. Within Europa's Manannán crater, a distinctive structure formally dubbed Damhán Alla, an Irish word meaning "spider" or “wall demon", was discovered by NASA's Galileo satellite, whose mission ended in 2003.

Scientists at Trinity College Dublin are finally explaining the formation of the starburst-like pattern, first discovered in the late 1990s. The feature resembles Earth's "lake stars" and appears as a spider-like look from delicate, branching ridges and troughs created by flowing meltwater.

What is Damhán Alla?

The Damhán Alla features have originated from briny water eruptions beneath the moon's ice, providing hints about subsurface liquid water and th

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