Europa: The Latest From Galileo
Explanation:
Today, NASA revealed recent results from the Galileo
Probe's December 19th flyby of Europa, Jupiter's ice-covered moon -
including this close-up image of fractured and frozen
terrrain.
The highest resolution picture ever made of Europa, the snapshot
shows a complex array of surface features in a 5.9 x 9.9 mile
area near the moon's equatorial region. North is toward the top and
the Sun illuminates the region from the right. The image was made
from a distance of 2,060 miles.
At the upper left are
linear criss-crossing ridges
and grooves
probably caused by movements of
the surface ice. Serpentine
valleys and lumpy features of unknown origins are also visible.
Only a few impact craters
are apparent though, implying a geologically
young surface.
So far, Galileo's findings
lend support to the
exciting possibility that liquid water once existed and may still
exist beneath Europa's surface.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
