Io: A Volcanic Puzzle – NASA Solar System Exploration
Nov 9, 1995 · Since Jupiter is mainly liquid and gas, the warm interior can move upwards towards the surface without volcanic activity. On 7 December 1995, Galileo will have its one and only opportunity for a close encounter with Jupiter's moon Io, the most volcanically active body in …
10 Need-to-Know Things About Io - NASA Solar System Exploration
Io orbits the planet Jupiter, which itself orbits the Sun at a distance of 484 million miles (778 million kilometers).
In Depth | Triton – NASA Solar System Exploration
Triton is the largest of Neptune's 13 moons. It is unusual because it is the only large moon in our solar system that orbits in the opposite direction of its planet's rotation―a retrograde orbit. Scientists think Triton is a Kuiper Belt Object captured by Neptune's gravity millions of years ago.
In Depth | Europa – NASA Solar System Exploration
Europa orbits Jupiter at about 417,000 miles (671,000 kilometers) from the planet, which itself orbits the Sun at a distance of roughly 500 million miles (780 million kilometers), or 5.2 astronomical units (AU). One AU is the distance from Earth to the Sun. Light from the Sun takes about 45 minutes to reach Europa.
In Depth | Jupiter – NASA Solar System Exploration
Jupiter is the fifth planet from our Sun and is, by far, the largest planet in the solar system – more than twice as massive as all the other planets combined. Jupiter's stripes and swirls are actually cold, windy clouds of ammonia and water, floating in an atmosphere of hydrogen and helium.
Io Observer - NASA Solar System Exploration
Oct 24, 2024 · The Jovian moon Io is likely the most geologically active body in the solar system, offering insight into tidal heating, volcanic processes, and other phenomena. However, its location within Jupiter''s radiation belt presents significant engineering challenges that must be addressed to enable future missions to Io.
In Depth | Saturn – NASA Solar System Exploration
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest planet in our solar system. Like fellow gas giant Jupiter, Saturn is a massive ball made mostly of hydrogen and helium. Saturn is not the only planet to have rings, but none are as spectacular or as complex as Saturn's.
In Depth | Earth – NASA Solar System Exploration
While Earth is only the fifth largest planet in the solar system, it is the only world in our solar system with liquid water on the surface. Just slightly larger than nearby Venus, Earth is the biggest of the four planets closest to the Sun, all of which are made of rock and metal.
In Depth | Mercury – NASA Solar System Exploration
Despite its proximity to the Sun, Mercury is not the hottest planet in our solar system – that title belongs to nearby Venus, thanks to its dense atmosphere. But Mercury is the fastest planet, zipping around the Sun every 88 Earth days.
Callisto - NASA Solar System Exploration
Jun 26, 2019 · Eyes on the Solar System lets you explore the planets, their moons, asteroids, comets and the spacecraft exploring them from 1950 to 2050. Ride with the Curiosity Rover as it lands on Mars or fly by Pluto with the New Horizons spacecraft all …