Jupiter's Moon Research Paper
Jupiter’s Moons: The Galilean Satellites
When you think of Jupiter what comes to your mind? Perhaps it’s impressive size, otherworldly glow and stripes, it’s Great Red Spot? What about it’s satellites? Most of Jupiter’s greatest secrets lie in its vast amount of moons reaching a total of 67 so far-53 named and 14 that have not yet been given a name or status. Jupiter’s largest and most scientifically interesting satellites are known as the Galilean Satellites for Galileo Galilei. In order of distance from their planet: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These were the first four moons discovered other than our own and are some of the most sought after, active, and fascinating moons in our entire solar system. The four satellites Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto are very …show more content…
Io is Jupiter’s most dense, third largest moon and is slightly larger than our moon. It has a colorful surface that is possibly caused by sulfur from volcanoes and is actually the most volcanically active body in the solar system. Hundreds of Volcanic plumes rise 300 kilometers above the surface. What is causing Io to be so active? It travels in an irregular elliptical motion thanks to Europa, Ganymede and Jupiter’s strong gravity. This causes tides in Io’s surface that rise up to 100 meters which generates enough heat for the volcanic activity and eliminates any water that could have existed. The immense pressure from the inside of Io caused by the tides of its neighboring satellites keeps it’s crust in a liquid state and causes the volcanoes and in turn renews it’s surface and is why its surface appears to be so young to astronomers. Io’s orbit around Jupiter actually cuts through Jupiter’s intense magnetic lines, which causes Io to be an electric generator, this and other forces create lightning in the planets upper atmosphere. The second and other first discovered Galilean Satellite is
When you think of Jupiter what comes to your mind? Perhaps it’s impressive size, otherworldly glow and stripes, it’s Great Red Spot? What about it’s satellites? Most of Jupiter’s greatest secrets lie in its vast amount of moons reaching a total of 67 so far-53 named and 14 that have not yet been given a name or status. Jupiter’s largest and most scientifically interesting satellites are known as the Galilean Satellites for Galileo Galilei. In order of distance from their planet: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. These were the first four moons discovered other than our own and are some of the most sought after, active, and fascinating moons in our entire solar system. The four satellites Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto are very …show more content…
Io is Jupiter’s most dense, third largest moon and is slightly larger than our moon. It has a colorful surface that is possibly caused by sulfur from volcanoes and is actually the most volcanically active body in the solar system. Hundreds of Volcanic plumes rise 300 kilometers above the surface. What is causing Io to be so active? It travels in an irregular elliptical motion thanks to Europa, Ganymede and Jupiter’s strong gravity. This causes tides in Io’s surface that rise up to 100 meters which generates enough heat for the volcanic activity and eliminates any water that could have existed. The immense pressure from the inside of Io caused by the tides of its neighboring satellites keeps it’s crust in a liquid state and causes the volcanoes and in turn renews it’s surface and is why its surface appears to be so young to astronomers. Io’s orbit around Jupiter actually cuts through Jupiter’s intense magnetic lines, which causes Io to be an electric generator, this and other forces create lightning in the planets upper atmosphere. The second and other first discovered Galilean Satellite is