What is a Volcanic Eruption Like in Space?

Can volcanic eruptions take place on other planets? And are they like those on Earth?

Volcanic eruptions are very common on other heavenly bodies and can take place just like on Earth.

When volcanoes on Mars, Venus, and probably also on Mercury erupt, molten rock, gas, and ash flow out of a crater to produce a cone-shaped “bump” just like on Earth. On Jupiter’s Io moon, the volcanoes also emit molten rock, but on the small moon, standard gravity is so slight that the column of mass could rise hundreds of kilometres above the surface.

The Solar System also includes cold volcanoes (cryovolcanoes), which emit liquids such as ammonia, water, or methane. The most reliable indications of cold volcanoes have been found on Saturn’s Titan moon. According to scientists, Jupiter’s Europa and Ganymede moons, Saturn’s Enceladus moon, and Uranus’ Miranda moon include cryovolcanoes.

Cryovolcanoes exist on ice moons in the Solar System. They emit cold materials such as ammonia and water.