Hubble spots evidence of water plumes on Jupiter's moon Europa

A composite image shows suspected plumes of water vapor erupting at the seven o'clock position off the limb of Jupiter's moon Europa in a NASA Hubble Space Telescope picture taken January 26, 2014 and released September 26, 2016. NASA/ESA/W. Sparks (STScI)/USGS...

Astronomers on Monday said they have spotted evidence of water vapor plumes rising from Jupiter's moon Europa, a finding that might make it easier to learn whether life exists in the warm, salty ocean hidden beneath its icy surface.

The apparent plumes detected by the Hubble Space Telescope shoot about 125 miles (200 km) above Europa's surface before, presumably, raining material back down onto the moon's surface, NASA said.