Daisy Dobrijevic joined Space.com in February 2022 having previously worked for our sister publication All About Space magazine as a staff writer. Before joining us, Daisy completed an editorial internship with the BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at the National Space Centre in Leicester, U.K.
A 'cold Earth' exoplanet just 146 light-years away might be in its star's habitable zone — if it existsFrom a new flagship space telescope to lunar exploration, global cooperation – and competition – will make 2026 an exciting year for spaceContact me with news and offers from other Future brandsSign up to our monthly entertainment newsletter to keep up with all our coverage of the latest sci-fi and space movies, tv shows, games and books.
Discover this week's must-see night sky events, moon phases, and stunning astrophotos. Sign up for our skywatching newsletter and explore the universe with us!Space.com's Sci-Fi Reader's Club. Read a sci-fi short story every month and join a virtual community of fellow science fiction fans!Every winter, skiers chase smooth carving turns, reliable snow and that dream run. As the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics 2026 unfold on Earth, it raises a fun question: if the Games ever leave our planet, where else in the solar system could you actually ski? Skiing is surprisingly picky about physics. Snow, gravity and temperature all have to cooperate for conditions to be suitable, and very few worlds get that balance right., survive the journey, and safely stand on the surface of another world without worrying about travel times, life support, radiation, or the right space suit. If you could step outside onto another world and click on a pair of skis, would the surface actually cooperate?Bundle up and look up: 5 winter sky wonders every stargazer should look out for Earth doesn't just have snow; it has historically reliable snow. Our planet's axial tilt of 23.5 degrees produces regular seasons, allowing winter temperatures to build and maintain good snow conditions across mountain regions., skis can glide across snowy surfaces because of the way water ice behaves. Ice surfaces develop a thin, mobile surface layer, sometimes called a Put all those factors together — seasonal snowfall, water-ice physics and moderate gravity — and Earth produces something rare in the solar system: ideal skiing conditions.The moon may be our closest companion and the easiest destination to head to for a cosmic holiday, but would you want to pack your skis?, part of the Apollo 17 crew, from giving it a go in 1972. Schmitt claimed his knowledge of cross-country skiing helped him glide effortlessly across the dusty lunar surface.Bundle up and look up: 5 winter sky wonders every stargazer should look out for"When you're cross-country skiing, once you get a rhythm going, you propel yourself with a toe push as you slide along the snow," explained Dr Schmitt, "On the moon, in the main you don't slide, you glide above the surface. But again, you use the same kind of rhythm, with a toe push."So perhaps the moon could make for a decent ski holiday afterall, take it from the man who's been there, done that.When pressure is applied to skis on dry ice, the mechanical stress would fracture the brittle, dry surface. Instead of forming the lubricating melt layer like water ice does on Earth, the material would sublimate, destabilizing the surface below the skis., the right material — in theory. Afterall, water ice is exactly what skiing on Earth depends on. But Europa's environment throws a wrench in the works.around -260 degrees Fahrenheit . At those temperatures, ice becomes extremely rigid. At such extreme temperatures, the mobile surface behavior that helps skis glide on Earth would be greatly reduced. In Europa's near-vacuum, heat from friction would dissipate quickly rather than building a lubricating surface layer. Combine that with the gravity that's only aboutand skis would press so lightly on the ultra-hard surface that instead of carving into responsive snow or ice, you'd likely just scrape and drift across something closer to frozen glass, with little control.Pluto is coated in nitrogen, methane and carbon monoxide ice, and may be the strangest solar system ski destination of all.Close up view of Sputnik Planum, Pluto, captured by NASA's New Horizons spacecraft. Skiing on nitrogen or methane ice would feel rigid and brittle, and make for an unpleasant experience. While carbon monoxide ice is highly volatile, in Pluto's extreme temperatures, it would remain solid and glass-like. None of these would form the loose, granular snow conditions that compress under skis on Earth and Pluto's gravity only makes things worse. Atthat of Earth's, Pluto's gravity also means that you'd not be able to apply much downward force and skis would only press very lightly on the surface. Without the edge grip you can get in Earth's snow, carving controlled turns would be extremely difficult, so you'd end up with more drifting than skiing.Across the solar system, there are plenty of worlds that have ice, snow and even impressive slopes, but only one has the three working together that allows for enjoyable skiing.Olympic rings come together for a fireworks display during the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics at San Siro Stadium on February 06, 2026 in Milan, Italy.magazine as a staff writer. Before joining us, Daisy completed an editorial internship with the BBC Sky at Night Magazine and worked at thein Leicester, U.K., where she enjoyed communicating space science to the public. In 2021, Daisy completed a PhD in plant physiology and also holds a Master's in Environmental Science, she is currently based in Nottingham, U.K. Daisy is passionate about all things space, with a penchant for solar activity and space weather. She has a strong interest in astrotourism and loves nothing more than a good northern lights chase!Could the remains of a 'dead' comet still be in the solar system? Astronomers are still searching 6 years later SpaceX launches Crew-12 astronauts to short-staffed International Space Station. 'We have left the Earth, but the Earth has not left us.' SpaceX launches Crew-12 astronauts to short-staffed International Space Station. 'We have left the Earth, but the Earth has not left us.' 'Project Hail Mary,' 'Disclosure Day,' & 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' got new trailers at Super Bowl LX: Watch them all here
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