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Credit & Copyright: NASA, Voyager Project
Explanation:
In 1610,
Galileo
turned his telescope to the heavens and discovered that
the planet Jupiter had four bright moons. The innermost of these
Galilean moons,
Io,
turned out to be one of the most exotic objects in
the solar system. About the size of the earth's moon, Io is covered
with volcanoes, many of which are currently active.
The material expelled in the volcanic eruptions may contain compounds
of Sulfur which take on a variety of colors and could account for
its mottled, "pizza-like" appearance.
For a report of a recent eruption of an Io volcano, see the NASA Infrared Telescope Facility press release and photo .
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Moon - Io
Publications with words: Moon - Io
See also: