Impact on Europa
Explanation:
This bull's-eye pattern marks
the impact
of a mountain-sized comet or asteroid on the icy surface of
Jupiter's moon Europa.
Recorded by
the Galileo spacecraft in April of this year,
the composite false color image
clearly reveals
the telltale concentric fractures
which cover about 86 miles - roughly equivalent to
the
Island of Hawaii.
The fat reddish and finer blue-green lines overlay the impact fractures
and must therefore be younger
surface features
formed after the impact.
The dark red color may be the result of a
a relatively dirty water-ice mixture.
The possibility of liquid water below the ice has fueled
speculation that life may exist on this
large and distant moon.
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.
