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Bruce Murray Space Image Library

Ice World Canyon

Ice World Canyon
Ice World Canyon The Planetary Report challenged astronomical artists to submit artwork on the theme “ice giants.” Illustrator and author Ron Miller submitted this work inspired by the discovery of exoplanet OGLE-2016-BLG-1195Lb, a world 13,000 light years away that has mass and orbit similar to Earth. This Earth-like planet orbits a very faint star, however, so it is likely ice-covered.

Miller placed a hypothetical Earth-sized ice world in orbit around a gas giant. He writes: “Covered with glaciers as deep as Greenland’s ice cap, the landscape is one of vast, canyon-sized cracks and fissures. With its sun only a distant, tiny star much smaller and dimmer than Earth’s, its future explorers would have to contend with temperatures falling below –200 degrees Celsius (–400 degrees Fahrenheit).” Ron Miller, <a href="/multimedia/space-images/universe/www.black-cat-studios.com">Black Cat Studios</a>