|
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This image of Jupiter's sate
…
1/17/97
| Date |
1/17/97 |
| Description |
This image of Jupiter's satellite Europa was obtained from a range of 7364 miles (11851 km) by the Galileo spacecraft during its fourth orbit around Jupiter and its first close pass of Europa. The image spans 30 miles by 57 miles (48 km x 91 km) and shows features as small as 800 feet (240 meters) across, a resolution more than 150 times better than the best Voyager coverage of this area. The sun illuminates the scene from the right. The large circular feature in the upper left of the image could be the scar of a large meteorite impact. Clusters of small craters seen in the right of the image may mark sites where debris thrown from this impact fell back to the surface. Prominent doublet ridges over a mile (1.6 km) wide cross the plains in the right part of the image, younger ridges overlap older ones, allowing the sequence of formation to be determined. Gaps in ridges indicate areas where emplacement of new surface material has obliterated pre-existing terrain. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ##### |
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Callisto Scarp Mosaic
This mosaic of two images sh
…
2/10/97
| Date |
2/10/97 |
| Description |
This mosaic of two images shows an area within the Valhalla region on Jupiter's moon, Callisto. North is to the top of the mosaic and the Sun illuminates the surface from the left. The smallest details that can be discerned in this picture are knobs and small impact craters about 155 meters (170 yards) across. The mosaic covers an area approximately 38 kilometers (24 miles) across. A prominent fault scarp crosses the mosaic. This scarp is one of many structural features that form the Valhalla multi- ring structure, which has a diameter of 4,000 kilometers (2,485 miles). Scientists believe Valhalla is the result of a large impact early in the history of Callisto. Several smaller ridges are found parallel to the prominent scarp. Numerous impact craters ranging in size from 155 meters (170 yards) to 2.5 kilometers (1.5 miles) are seen in the mosaic. The images which form this mosaic were obtained by the solid state imaging system aboard NASA's Galileo spacecraft on Nov. 4, 1996 (Universal Time). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web Galileo mission home page at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo. ##### |
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Asgard Scarp Mosaic
Low-resolution color data we
…
2/10/97
| Date |
2/10/97 |
| Description |
Low-resolution color data were combined with a higher resolution mosaic to produce this infrared composite image of a pair of ancient multi-ringed impact basins on Jupiter's moon, Callisto. The region imaged is on the leading hemisphere of Callisto near 26 degrees north, 142 degrees west, and is almost 1,400 kilometers (860 miles) across. North is toward the top of the picture and the Sun illuminates the surface from the east. Dominating the scene is the impact structure, Asgard, centered on the smooth, bright region near the middle of the picture and surrounded by concentric rings up to 1,700 kilometers (about 1,050 miles) in diameter. A second ringed structure with a diameter of about 500 kilometers (310 miles) can be seen to the north of Asgard, partially obscured by the more recent, bright- rayed crater, Burr. The icy materials excavated by the younger craters contrast sharply with the darker and redder coatings on older surfaces of Callisto. Launched in October 1989, Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter on Dec. 7, 1995. The spacecraft's mission is to conduct detailed studies of the giant planet, its largest moons and the Jovian magnetic environment. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web Galileo mission home page at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo. ##### |
|
Pwyll Crater on Europa
Pwyll crater on Jupiter's mo
…
4/9/97
| Date |
4/9/97 |
| Description |
Pwyll crater on Jupiter's moon, Europa, was photographed by the Solid State Imaging system on the Galileo spacecraft during its sixth orbit around Jupiter. This impact crater is located at 26 degrees south latitude, 271 degrees west longitude, and is about 26 kilometers (16 miles) in diameter. Lower resolution pictures of Pwyll Crater taken earlier in the mission show that material ejected by the impact can be traced for hundreds of miles across the icy surface of Europa. The dark zone seen here in and around the crater is material excavated from several kilometers (a few miles) below the surface. Also visible in this picture are complex ridges. The two images comprising this mosaic were taken on February 20, 1997 from a distance of 12,000 kilometers (7,500 miles) by the Galileo spacecraft. The area shown is about 120 kilometers by 100 kilometers (75 miles by 60 miles). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington D.C. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web Galileo mission home page at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. ##### |
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Jupiter's White Ovals
These images show a newly cr
…
10/14/98
| Date |
10/14/98 |
| Description |
These images show a newly created large-scale storm on Jupiter, known as a white oval. This storm is the size of Earth and was observed by the Hubble Space Telescope and the Galileo spacecraft's photopolarimeter radiometer in July 1998. The color composite image shown in the upper panel was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope's Wide-Field/Planetary Camera on July 16, 1998. The image in the lower panel was created from data taken by Galileo's photopolarimeter experiment on July 20, 1998, and it is sensitive to Jupiter's atmospheric temperatures. The white oval is believed to be the result of a merger between two smaller, 50-year-old ovals sometime in February, 1998. This white oval may be the strongest storm in the solar system outside Jupiter's 200-year old Great Red Spot. The Galileo spacecraft's measurements of the temperature field show that the feature is distinctly colder than its surroundings, as would be expected from rapidly upwelling winds in the center of the feature, and this temperature difference is at least as large as that of the two former white ovals. The temperature measurements also show that the feature to the left of the new white oval, once distinctly warmer that its surroundings (as expected of downdrafts) has cooled off. More images and information on the Galileo mission are available on the Internet at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo . The Hubble Space Telescope image is courtesy of Amy Simon and Reta Beebe, New Mexico State University, and the Space Telescope Science Institute. 10/8/98 JP |
|
GALILEO
The Galileo imaging system c
…
5/25/94
| Date |
5/25/94 |
| Description |
The Galileo imaging system captured this picture of the limb of the asteroid 243 Ida about 46 seconds after its closest approach on August 28, 1993, from a range of only 2480 kilometers. It is the highest-resolution image of an asteroid's surface ever captured and shows detail at a scale of about 25 meters per pixel. This image is one frame of a mosaic of 15 frames shuttered near Galileo's closest approach to Ida. Since the exact location of Ida in space was not well-known prior to the Galileo flyby, this mosaic was estimated to have only about a 50 percent chance of capturing Ida. Fortunately, this single frame did successfully image a part of the sunlit side of Ida. The area seen in this frame shows some of the same territory seen in a slightly lower resolution full-disk mosaic of Ida returned from the spacecraft in September, 1993, but from a different perspective. Prominent in this view is a 2-kilometer- deep "valley" seen in profile on the limb. This limb profile and the stereoscopic effect between this image and the full-disk mosaic will permit detailed refinement of Ida's shape in this region. This high-resolution view shows many small craters and some grooves on the surface of Ida, which give clues to understanding the history of this heavily impacted object. The Galileo project, whose primary mission is the exploration of the Jupiter system in 1995-97, is managed for NASA's Office of Space Science by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. ##### |
|
Highest Resolution Picture o
…
This image, acquired by NASA
…
5/31/00
| Date |
5/31/00 |
| Description |
This image, acquired by NASA's Galileo spacecraft on February 22, 2000, is the highest resolution image ever taken of Io. The resolution is 5.2 meters (18 feet) per picture element. Galileo viewed the surface obliquely, tilted 72 degrees from straight overhead. Illumination is from the lower right, but the topographic shading is difficult to see because of the strong contrasts in brightness of the surface materials. The bright areas are generally higher in elevation than adjacent dark areas. The surface appears to have been eroded by an unknown process, in places exposing layers of bright and dark material. Evaporation of solid ice may also play a role in separating the bright and dark materials. North is toward the upper right. Also shown is a version of this image processed to give a bird's- eye view over the terrain. This image maps out the true distribution of bright and dark surface materials. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the Galileo mission home page at http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov . Background information and educational context for the images can be found at http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov/images/io/ioimages.html . ##### |
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Aurora Borealis on Jupiter
This image, taken by NASA's
…
2/10/97
| Date |
2/10/97 |
| Description |
This image, taken by NASA's Galileo spacecraft, shows the dark side of Jupiter, the part not illuminated by sunlight. The curved line crossing from the lower left to the upper right is the auroral arc on the horizon. With north at the top of the image, the central part of the auroral arc has a latitude of 57 degrees north. When this same region was imaged 30 seconds later, the central part had changed. The left and right boxes below show a magnified view of the central region at the earlier and later times, respectively. The aurora is dynamic on Jupiter, just as it is here on Earth. The eerie, glowing light is created when molecules in the upper atmosphere are struck by charge particles from the space around Jupiter. Fluctuations in the charged particle flow cause variations in the auroral emission. This image was part of a multi-instrument set of observations made as Galileo flew through a region of space rich in charged particles. The particles follow the magnetic field and, in this case, the spacecraft was flying through the particular field line that was imaged. With these observations, scientists hope to learn more about the particles and their interaction with the molecules in the atmosphere. This image provides a severe test of the camera optics. The overexposed region at the lower right is the illuminated part of the planet, which is much brighter than the aurora. When light from this region is scattered into the telescope, it creates a diffuse background. The long exposure subjects the detector to more cosmic rays than usual. These create spikes, the bright dots that are sprinkled throughout the image. These images were taken in the clear filter of the solid state imaging (CCD) system aboard the Galileo spacecraft on Nov. 5, 1996. Each pixel subtends a square about 30 kilometers (18.5 miles) throughout the image. The range is 1.433 million kilometers (0.89 million miles). Launched in October 1989, Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter on Dec. 7, 1995. The spacecraft's mission is to conduct detailed studies of the giant planet, its largest moons and its magnetic environment. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are on the Galileo mission home page on the World Wide Web at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo. ##### |
|
False Color Mosaic of Jupite
…
This false color mosaic show
…
2/10/97
| Date |
2/10/97 |
| Description |
This false color mosaic shows a belt-zone boundary near Jupiter's equator. The images that make up the four quadrants of this mosaic were taken within a few minutes of each other. Light at each of Galileo's three near-infrared wavelengths is displayed here in the visible colors red, green and blue. Light at 886 nanometers, strongly absorbed by atmospheric methane and scattered from clouds high in the atmosphere, is shown in red. Light at 732 nanometers, moderately absorbed by atmospheric methane, is shown in green. Light at 757 nanometers, scattered mostly from Jupiter's lower visible cloud deck, is shown in blue. The lower cloud deck appears bluish white, while the higher layer appears pinkish. The holes in the upper layer and their relationships to features in the lower cloud deck can be studied in the lower half of the mosaic. Galileo is the first spacecraft to image different layers in Jupiter's atmosphere. The edge of the planet runs along the right side of the mosaic. North is at the top. The mosaic covers latitudes -13 to +3 degrees and is centered at longitude 280 degrees west. The smallest resolved features are tens of kilometers in size. These images were taken on Nov. 5, 1996, at a range of 1.2 million kilometers by the solid state imaging (CCD) system aboard NASA's Galileo spacecraft. Launched in October 1989, Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter on Dec. 7, 1995. The spacecraft's mission is to conduct detailed studies of the giant planet, its largest moons and the Jovian magnetic environment. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web Galileo mission home page at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo. ##### |
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Jupiter Equatorial Region
True and false color views o
…
6/5/97
| Date |
6/5/97 |
| Description |
True and false color views of Jupiter from NASA's Galileo spacecraft show an equatorial 'hotspot' on Jupiter. These images cover an area 34,000 kilometers by 11,000 kilometers (about 21,100 by 6,800 miles). The top mosaic combines the violet and near infrared continuum filter images to create an image similar to how Jupiter would appear to human eyes. Differences in coloration are due to the composition and abundances of trace chemicals in Jupiter's atmosphere. The bottom mosaic uses Galileo's three near-infrared wavelengths displayed in red, green, and blue) to show variations in cloud height and thickness. Bluish clouds are high and thin, reddish clouds are low, and white clouds are high and thick. The dark blue hotspot in the center is a hole in the deep cloud with an overlying thin haze. The light blue region to the left is covered by a very high haze layer. The multicolored region to the right has overlapping cloud layers of different heights. Galileo is the first spacecraft to distinguish cloud layers on Jupiter. North is at the top. The mosaic covers latitudes 1 to 10 degrees and is centered at longitude 336 degrees west. The smallest resolved features are tens of kilometers in size. These images were taken on December 17, 1996, at a range of 1.5 million kilometers (about 930,000 miles) by the Solid State Imaging camera system aboard Galileo. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ##### |
|
Jupiter Equatorial Region
This photographic mosaic of
…
6/5/97
| Date |
6/5/97 |
| Description |
This photographic mosaic of images from NASA's Galileo spacecraft covers an area of 34,000 kilometers by 22,000 kilometers (about 21,100 by 13,600 miles) in Jupiter's equatorial region. The dark region near the center of the mosaic is an equatorial 'hotspot' similar to the site where the Galileo Probe parchuted into Jupiter's atmosphere in December 1995. These features are holes in the bright, reflective, equatorial cloud layer where heat from Jupiter's deep atmosphere can pass through. The circulation patterns observed here along with the composition measurements from the Galileo Probe suggest that dry air may be converging and sinking over these regions, maintaining their cloud-free appearance. The bright oval in the upper right of the mosaic as well as the other smaller bright features are examples of upwelling of moist air and condensation. These images were taken on December 17, 1996, at a range of 1.5 million kilometers (about 930,000 miles) by the Solid State Imaging camera system aboard Galileo. North is at the top. The mosaic covers latitudes 1 to 19 degrees and is centered at longitude 336 degrees west. The smallest resolved features are tens of kilometers in size. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ##### |
|
Caldera-like depression on G
…
The shallow, scalloped depre
…
12/16/00
| Date |
12/16/00 |
| Description |
The shallow, scalloped depression in the center of this picture from NASA's Galileo spacecraft is a caldera-like feature 5 to 20 kilometers (3 to 12 miles) wide on Jupiter's largest moon, Ganymede. Calderas are surface depressions formed by collapse above a subsurface concentration of molten material. Some shallow depressions in bright, smooth areas of Ganymede have some overall similarities to calderas on Earth and on Jupiter's moon Io. On Ganymede, caldera-like depressions may serve as sources of bright, volcanic flows of liquid water and slush, an idea supported by a Ganymede photo obtained by Galileo during its seventh orbit and available at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/cgi- bin/PIAGenCatalogPage.pl?PIA01614 . In the more recent image here, from Galileo's 28th orbit, a tall scarp marks the western boundary of a caldera-like feature. The western scarp is aligned similarly to older tectonic grooves visible in the image, suggesting the feature has collapsed along older lines of weakness. The interior is mottled in appearance, yet smooth compared to most of Ganymede's bright terrain seen at high resolution. The eastern boundary of the caldera-like feature is cut by younger, grooved terrain. Small impact craters pepper the scene, but the lack of a raised rim argues against an impact origin for the caldera-like feature itself. Instead, water-rich icy lava may have once flowed out of it toward the east. If so, later tectonism could have erased any telltale evidence of volcanic flow fronts. Direct evidence for icy volcanism on Ganymede continues to be elusive. North is to the top of the picture and the Sun illuminates the surface from the left. The image, centered at -24 degrees latitude and 318 degrees longitude, covers an area approximately 162 by 119 kilometers (101 by 74 miles). The resolution is 43 meters (141 feet) per picture element. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the Galileo mission home page at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo . Background information and educational context for the images can be found at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo . The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. This image was produced by Brown University, Providence, R.I., http://www.planetary.brown.edu/ . # # # # # |
|
Asteroid Gaspra's Best Face
| Title |
Asteroid Gaspra's Best Face |
| Explanation |
Above is the best yet color image of the asteroid Gaspra [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/bestgaspra.html ] based on data returned by NASA's Galileo spacecraft. Color variations have been added to high resolution images and enhanced to highlight changes in reflectivity, surface structure and composition. The illuminated portion of the asteroid [ http://seds.lpl.arizona.edu/nineplanets/nineplanets/asteroids.html ] is about 11 miles long. Galileo encountered Gaspra on October 29, 1991 during the cruise phase of its mission to study the Jovian system. When it arrives at Jupiter [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap951013.html ], in December 1995, the robot spacecraft's atmospheric probe will descend into Jupiter's atmosphere [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950625.html ], becoming the first ever probe to enter the atmosphere of a gas giant planet. Updates on Galileo's progress can be found at "Online from Jupiter" [ http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/jupiter.html ]. |
|
Ida and Dactyl: Asteroid and
…
| Title |
Ida and Dactyl: Asteroid and Moon |
| Explanation |
This asteroid has a moon [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/caption/idadactyl_false.txt ]! The robot spacecraft [ http://galileo.ivv.nasa.gov/spacecraft.html ] Galileo currently exploring the Jovian system [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970612.html ], encountered and photographed two asteroids [ http://pds.jpl.nasa.gov/planets/welcome/smb.htm ] during its long journey to Jupiter [ http://www.seds.org/nineplanets/nineplanets/jupiter.html ]. The second asteroid it photographed, Ida, was discovered to have a moon [ http://galileo.ivv.nasa.gov/idamoon.html ] which appears as a small dot to the right of Ida in this picture [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/photogallery-asteroids.html#ida ]. The tiny moon, named Dactyl [ http://galileo.ivv.nasa.gov/idamnhi.html ], is about one mile across, while the potato shaped Ida measures about 36 miles long and 14 miles wide. Dactyl is the first moon of an asteroid ever discovered. The names Ida and Dactyl [ http://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/photo_gallery/caption/dactyl.txt ] are based on characters in Greek mythology [ http://www.greekmythology.com/ ]. Do other asteroids have moons? [ http://hurlbut.jhuapl.edu/NEAR/Education/NEARcurrlynx.html ] |
|
Uruk Sulcus Mosaic - Galileo
…
PIA00493
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Uruk Sulcus Mosaic - Galileo over Voyager Data |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
A mosaic of four Galileo images of the Uruk Sulcus region on Ganymede (Latitude 11 N, Longitude: 170 W) is shown overlayed on the data obtained by the Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1979. North is to the top of the picture, and the sun illuminates the surface from the lower left, nearly overhead. The area shown is about 120 by 110 kilometers (75 by 68 miles) in extent and the smallest features that can be discerned are 74 meters (243 feet) in size in the Galileo images and 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in the Voyager data. The higher resolution Galileo images unveil the details of parallel ridges and troughs that are principal features in the brighter regions of Ganymede. High photometric activity (large light contrast at high spatial frequencies) of this ice-rich surface was such that the Galileo camera's hardware data compressor was pushed into truncating lines. The north-south running gap between the left and right halves of the mosaic is a result of line truncation from the normal 800 samples per line to about 540. The images were taken on 27 June, 1996 Universal Time at a range of 7,448 kilometers (4,628 miles) through the clear filter of the Galileo spacecraft's imaging system. Launched in October 1989, Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter on December 7, 1995. The spacecraft's mission is to conduct detailed studies of the giant planet, its largest moons and the Jovian magnetic environment. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
|
Voyager-to-Galileo Changes,
…
PIA01063
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Voyager-to-Galileo Changes, Io's Anti-Jove Hemisphere |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Shown here is a comparison of a Galileo color image (right) of Jupiter's moon Io, with a Voyager mosaic (left) reprojected to the same geometry as the Galileo image. The image on the right was obtained by the Galileo spacecraft's imaging camera on September 7th, 1996, the mosaic on the left was obtained by the Voyager spacecraft in 1979. Color is synthesized from green and violet filters only in both cases, as these are the only two filters that are reasonably similar between Voyager and Galileo. Many surface changes can be seen due to volcanic activity from 1979 to 1996. North is to the top of both frames. Galileo was about 487,000 kilometers (302,000 miles) from Io on September 7, 1996. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is an operating division of California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
|
Ganymede - Galileo Mosaic Ov
…
PIA00281
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Ganymede - Galileo Mosaic Overlayed on Voyager Data in Uruk Sulcus Region |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
A mosaic of four Galileo high-resolution images of the Uruk Sulcus region of Jupiter's moon Ganymede is shown within the context of an image of the region taken by Voyager 2 in 1979. The image shows details of parallel ridges and troughs that are the principal features in the brighter regions of Ganymede. The Galileo frames unveil the fine-scale topography of Ganymede's ice-rich surface, permitting scientists to develop a detailed understanding of the processes that have shaped Ganymede. Resolution of the Galileo images is 74 meters (243 feet) per pixel, while resolution of the Voyager image is 1.3 kilometers (0.8 mile) per pixel. In this view, north is to the top, and the sun illuminates the surface from the lower left nearly overhead. The area shown, at latitude 10 degrees north, longitude 168 degrees west, is about 120 by 110 kilometers (75 by 68 miles) in extent. The image was taken June 27 at a range of 7,448 kilometers (4,628 miles). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science. |
|
Caldera in Sippar Sulcus, Ga
…
PIA03217
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Caldera in Sippar Sulcus, Ganymede |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
An irregularly shaped caldera, or pit, within the bright swath called Sippar Sulcus on Jupiter's moon Ganymede dominates this image taken by NASA's Galileo spacecraft. The high-standing interior of the caldera is interpreted as evidence of the flow of a viscous material. Elevation modeling indicates the height of the westernmost caldera floor material (arrow) is comparable to adjacent grooved material but decreases towards the east (right), where it is similar to nearby, lower-lying smooth terrain. The smooth terrain, generally lacking grooves or stripes, extends across the upper half of the image and crosscuts a similar but grooved band at the lower right. Analysis of such high-resolution images in combination with estimates of the features' relative elevations is helping scientists interpret the roles of volcanism and tectonics in creating the bright terrain on Ganymede. This image was prepared by the Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, and included in a report by Dr. Paul Schenk et al. in the March 1, 2001, edition of the journal Nature. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Images and data received from Galileo are posted on the Galileo mission home page at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo. |
|
Ridges and Troughs in Sippar
…
PIA03216
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Ridges and Troughs in Sippar Sulcus, Ganymede |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Embayment of ridges and troughs in a portion of the Sippar Sulcus area of Jupiter's moon Ganymede in this image from NASA's Galileo spacecraft is interpreted as evidence that the low-lying area was filled in by flooding with low-viscosity material, such as water or water-ice slush lavas. Bays of the material appeared to have formed in troughs (indicated by arrows) between the ridges. The smallest features visible are about 180 meters (590 feet) across. Analysis of such high-resolution images in combination with estimates of the features' relative elevations is helping scientists interpret the roles of volcanism and tectonics in creating the bright terrain on Ganymede. This image was prepared by the Lunar and Planetary Institute, Houston, and included in a report by Dr. Paul Schenk et al. in the March 1, 2001, edition of the journal Nature. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Images and data received from Galileo are posted on the Galileo mission home page at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo . |
|
Gibbous Europa
| Title |
Gibbous Europa |
| Explanation |
Although the phase [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010218.html ] of this moon might appear familiar, the moon itself might not. In fact, this gibbous phase [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gibbous ] shows part of Jupiter [ http://www.nineplanets.org/jupiter.html ]'s moon Europa [ http://www.nineplanets.org/europa.html ]. The robot spacecraft Galileo [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Galileo_%28spacecraft%29 ] captured this image [ http://planetimages.blogspot.com/2005/09/ new-color-views-of-europa.html ] mosaic during its mission orbiting Jupiter from 1995 - 2003. Visible are plains [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap981215.html ] of bright ice [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap000418.html ], cracks [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980310.html ] that run to the horizon, and dark patches [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970815.html ] that likely contain both ice and dirt. Raised terrain [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980303.html ] is particularly apparent near the terminator [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Terminator_%28solar%29 ], where it casts shadows [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap001225.html ]. Europa [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap961120.html ] is nearly the same size as Earth's Moon [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap020127.html ], but much smoother, showing few highlands [ http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr161/lect/moon/ moon_surface.html ] or large impact craters [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap010809.html ]. Evidence and images from the Galileo spacecraft [ http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/galileo/ ], indicated that liquid oceans might exist [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980102.html ] below the icy surface. To test speculation that these seas hold life, ESA [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Space_Agency ] has started preliminary development of the Jovian Europa Orbiter [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/europaorbiter/europao.htm ], a spacecraft proposed to orbit Europa. If the surface ice is thin enough, a future mission might drop hydrobots [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/mission/ journey-future.html ] to burrow into the oceans and search for life. |
|
Nine Datasets on a Single Gl
…
| Title |
Nine Datasets on a Single Globe with Wipe Between Different Datasets |
| Abstract |
Single globe with wipe between different datasets. Sequence: Galileo, radiant energy, vegetation index anomalies, temperature, fires, aerosols, clouds, methane, water vapor, biosphere, Galileo |
| Completed |
1999-11-10 |
|
Global image of Io (false co
…
PIA02309
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Global image of Io (false color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ]., NASA's Galileo spacecraft acquired its highest resolution images of Jupiter's moon Io on 3 July 1999 during its closest pass to Io since orbit insertion in late 1995. This color mosaic uses the near-infrared, green and violet filters (slightly more than the visible range) of the spacecraft's camera which have been processed to enhance more subtle color variations. Most of Io's surface has pastel colors, punctuated by black, brown, green, orange, and red units near the active volcanic centers. A true color version [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02308 ] of the mosaic has been created to show how Io would appear to the human eye. The improved resolution reveals small-scale color units which had not been recognized previously and which suggest that the lavas and sulfurous deposits are composed of complex mixtures (Cutout locations), (Cutout A). Some of the bright (whitish), high-latitude (near the top and bottom) deposits have an ethereal quality like a transparent covering of frost (Cutout B). Bright red areas were seen previously only as diffuse deposits. However, they are now seen to exist as both diffuse deposits and sharp linear features like fissures (Cutout C). Some volcanic centers have bright and colorful flows, perhaps due to flows of sulfur rather than silicate lava (Cutout D). In this region bright, white material can also be seen to emanate from linear rifts and cliffs. Comparison of this mosaic to previous Galileo images [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo/atjup/io/color.html ] reveals many changes due to the ongoing volcanic activity. Galileo will make two close passes of Io beginning in October of this year. Most of the high-resolution targets for these flybys are seen on the hemisphere shown here. North is to the top of the picture and the sun illuminates the surface from almost directly behind the spacecraft. This illumination geometry is good for imaging color variations, but poor for imaging topographic shading. However, some topographic shading can be seen here due to the combination of relatively high resolution (1.3 kilometers or 0.8 miles per picture element) and the rugged topography over parts of Io. The image is centered at 0.3 degrees north latitude and 137.5 degrees west longitude. The resolution is 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) per picture element. The images were taken on 3 July 1999 at a range of about 130,000 kilometers (81,000 miles) by the Solid State Imaging (SSI) system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft during its twenty-first orbit. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov ]. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL |
|
Global image of Io (false co
…
PIA02309
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Global image of Io (false color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ]., NASA's Galileo spacecraft acquired its highest resolution images of Jupiter's moon Io on 3 July 1999 during its closest pass to Io since orbit insertion in late 1995. This color mosaic uses the near-infrared, green and violet filters (slightly more than the visible range) of the spacecraft's camera which have been processed to enhance more subtle color variations. Most of Io's surface has pastel colors, punctuated by black, brown, green, orange, and red units near the active volcanic centers. A true color version [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02308 ] of the mosaic has been created to show how Io would appear to the human eye. The improved resolution reveals small-scale color units which had not been recognized previously and which suggest that the lavas and sulfurous deposits are composed of complex mixtures (Cutout locations), (Cutout A). Some of the bright (whitish), high-latitude (near the top and bottom) deposits have an ethereal quality like a transparent covering of frost (Cutout B). Bright red areas were seen previously only as diffuse deposits. However, they are now seen to exist as both diffuse deposits and sharp linear features like fissures (Cutout C). Some volcanic centers have bright and colorful flows, perhaps due to flows of sulfur rather than silicate lava (Cutout D). In this region bright, white material can also be seen to emanate from linear rifts and cliffs. Comparison of this mosaic to previous Galileo images [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo/atjup/io/color.html ] reveals many changes due to the ongoing volcanic activity. Galileo will make two close passes of Io beginning in October of this year. Most of the high-resolution targets for these flybys are seen on the hemisphere shown here. North is to the top of the picture and the sun illuminates the surface from almost directly behind the spacecraft. This illumination geometry is good for imaging color variations, but poor for imaging topographic shading. However, some topographic shading can be seen here due to the combination of relatively high resolution (1.3 kilometers or 0.8 miles per picture element) and the rugged topography over parts of Io. The image is centered at 0.3 degrees north latitude and 137.5 degrees west longitude. The resolution is 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) per picture element. The images were taken on 3 July 1999 at a range of about 130,000 kilometers (81,000 miles) by the Solid State Imaging (SSI) system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft during its twenty-first orbit. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov ]. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL |
|
Global image of Io (false co
…
PIA02309
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Global image of Io (false color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ]., NASA's Galileo spacecraft acquired its highest resolution images of Jupiter's moon Io on 3 July 1999 during its closest pass to Io since orbit insertion in late 1995. This color mosaic uses the near-infrared, green and violet filters (slightly more than the visible range) of the spacecraft's camera which have been processed to enhance more subtle color variations. Most of Io's surface has pastel colors, punctuated by black, brown, green, orange, and red units near the active volcanic centers. A true color version [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02308 ] of the mosaic has been created to show how Io would appear to the human eye. The improved resolution reveals small-scale color units which had not been recognized previously and which suggest that the lavas and sulfurous deposits are composed of complex mixtures (Cutout locations), (Cutout A). Some of the bright (whitish), high-latitude (near the top and bottom) deposits have an ethereal quality like a transparent covering of frost (Cutout B). Bright red areas were seen previously only as diffuse deposits. However, they are now seen to exist as both diffuse deposits and sharp linear features like fissures (Cutout C). Some volcanic centers have bright and colorful flows, perhaps due to flows of sulfur rather than silicate lava (Cutout D). In this region bright, white material can also be seen to emanate from linear rifts and cliffs. Comparison of this mosaic to previous Galileo images [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo/atjup/io/color.html ] reveals many changes due to the ongoing volcanic activity. Galileo will make two close passes of Io beginning in October of this year. Most of the high-resolution targets for these flybys are seen on the hemisphere shown here. North is to the top of the picture and the sun illuminates the surface from almost directly behind the spacecraft. This illumination geometry is good for imaging color variations, but poor for imaging topographic shading. However, some topographic shading can be seen here due to the combination of relatively high resolution (1.3 kilometers or 0.8 miles per picture element) and the rugged topography over parts of Io. The image is centered at 0.3 degrees north latitude and 137.5 degrees west longitude. The resolution is 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) per picture element. The images were taken on 3 July 1999 at a range of about 130,000 kilometers (81,000 miles) by the Solid State Imaging (SSI) system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft during its twenty-first orbit. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov ]. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL |
|
Global image of Io (false co
…
PIA02309
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Global image of Io (false color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ]., NASA's Galileo spacecraft acquired its highest resolution images of Jupiter's moon Io on 3 July 1999 during its closest pass to Io since orbit insertion in late 1995. This color mosaic uses the near-infrared, green and violet filters (slightly more than the visible range) of the spacecraft's camera which have been processed to enhance more subtle color variations. Most of Io's surface has pastel colors, punctuated by black, brown, green, orange, and red units near the active volcanic centers. A true color version [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02308 ] of the mosaic has been created to show how Io would appear to the human eye. The improved resolution reveals small-scale color units which had not been recognized previously and which suggest that the lavas and sulfurous deposits are composed of complex mixtures (Cutout locations), (Cutout A). Some of the bright (whitish), high-latitude (near the top and bottom) deposits have an ethereal quality like a transparent covering of frost (Cutout B). Bright red areas were seen previously only as diffuse deposits. However, they are now seen to exist as both diffuse deposits and sharp linear features like fissures (Cutout C). Some volcanic centers have bright and colorful flows, perhaps due to flows of sulfur rather than silicate lava (Cutout D). In this region bright, white material can also be seen to emanate from linear rifts and cliffs. Comparison of this mosaic to previous Galileo images [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo/atjup/io/color.html ] reveals many changes due to the ongoing volcanic activity. Galileo will make two close passes of Io beginning in October of this year. Most of the high-resolution targets for these flybys are seen on the hemisphere shown here. North is to the top of the picture and the sun illuminates the surface from almost directly behind the spacecraft. This illumination geometry is good for imaging color variations, but poor for imaging topographic shading. However, some topographic shading can be seen here due to the combination of relatively high resolution (1.3 kilometers or 0.8 miles per picture element) and the rugged topography over parts of Io. The image is centered at 0.3 degrees north latitude and 137.5 degrees west longitude. The resolution is 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) per picture element. The images were taken on 3 July 1999 at a range of about 130,000 kilometers (81,000 miles) by the Solid State Imaging (SSI) system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft during its twenty-first orbit. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov ]. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL |
|
Global image of Io (false co
…
PIA02309
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Global image of Io (false color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ]., NASA's Galileo spacecraft acquired its highest resolution images of Jupiter's moon Io on 3 July 1999 during its closest pass to Io since orbit insertion in late 1995. This color mosaic uses the near-infrared, green and violet filters (slightly more than the visible range) of the spacecraft's camera which have been processed to enhance more subtle color variations. Most of Io's surface has pastel colors, punctuated by black, brown, green, orange, and red units near the active volcanic centers. A true color version [ http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA02308 ] of the mosaic has been created to show how Io would appear to the human eye. The improved resolution reveals small-scale color units which had not been recognized previously and which suggest that the lavas and sulfurous deposits are composed of complex mixtures (Cutout locations), (Cutout A). Some of the bright (whitish), high-latitude (near the top and bottom) deposits have an ethereal quality like a transparent covering of frost (Cutout B). Bright red areas were seen previously only as diffuse deposits. However, they are now seen to exist as both diffuse deposits and sharp linear features like fissures (Cutout C). Some volcanic centers have bright and colorful flows, perhaps due to flows of sulfur rather than silicate lava (Cutout D). In this region bright, white material can also be seen to emanate from linear rifts and cliffs. Comparison of this mosaic to previous Galileo images [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo/atjup/io/color.html ] reveals many changes due to the ongoing volcanic activity. Galileo will make two close passes of Io beginning in October of this year. Most of the high-resolution targets for these flybys are seen on the hemisphere shown here. North is to the top of the picture and the sun illuminates the surface from almost directly behind the spacecraft. This illumination geometry is good for imaging color variations, but poor for imaging topographic shading. However, some topographic shading can be seen here due to the combination of relatively high resolution (1.3 kilometers or 0.8 miles per picture element) and the rugged topography over parts of Io. The image is centered at 0.3 degrees north latitude and 137.5 degrees west longitude. The resolution is 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) per picture element. The images were taken on 3 July 1999 at a range of about 130,000 kilometers (81,000 miles) by the Solid State Imaging (SSI) system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft during its twenty-first orbit. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov ]. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL |
|
Galileo PPR temperature maps
…
PIA02524
Jupiter
| Title |
Galileo PPR temperature maps of Loki in October 1999 |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Like a terrestrial weather map, this map made by the photopolarimeter-radiometer onboard NASA's Galileo spacecraft shows how temperatures vary across the surface of Jupiter's moon Io. However, in this case the temperatures are due to volcanic activity, not weather. The maps show Io's most powerful volcano, Loki, which was in the throes of one of its periodic bright eruptions when the map was made during Galileo's close flyby of Io on October. The background to the temperature map is a Galileo image of Loki taken earlier in the Galileo mission. Loki's most prominent feature is the huge horseshoe-shaped dark caldera, 200 kilometers (120 miles) across. These observations reveal that most of the lava lake is at a remarkably uniform temperature, about -23 degrees C (-9 degrees F). This is chilly by Earth standards, but on Io, where most of the surface is colder than -145 degrees C (-230 degrees F), enormous amounts of volcanic heat are required to keep such a large area at this temperature. The uniform temperature, which was also seen by Galileo's Near Infrared Mapping Spectrometer, could be due to a uniformly thick frozen crust over a lake of molten lava, or to a series of old lava flows that have been cooling down for a year or two since they erupted. The southwestern corner of the caldera is much hotter the highest resolution photopolarimeter-radiometer observation shows peak temperatures of at least 126 degrees C (260 F). It is likely that this is the site of the new eruption that began in September, and that fresh lava erupting there will eventually spill out from this region to warm up the parts of the caldera to the east and north. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the Galileo mission home page at http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov ]. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/io.cfm [ http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/io.cfm ]. |
|
Amirani-Maui: Longest Known
…
PIA02506
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Amirani-Maui: Longest Known Active Lava Flow in the Solar System |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This pair of volcanic features on Jupiter's moon Io represents the longest active lava flow known to exist in our solar system. This image, one of the highest resolution pictures ever taken of Io, was obtained by NASA s Galileo spacecraft on July 3, 1999. That was during Galileo's closest pass by Io since it entered orbit around Jupiter in December 1995. The volcanic features, Amirani (right side of image) and Maui (to the left, just below the center of the image), were originally thought to be two separate volcanoes. However, Galileo images have shown that Maui is actually the active front of a lava flow that has extended westward from a vent at Amirani for more than 250 kilometers (160 miles). Observations by Galileo's near-infrared mapping spectrometer show a hotspot at Maui, so the lava must still be flowing. Other flows extend northward from the Amirani vent. White plume deposits encircle the Amirani vent and are likely to be sulfur dioxide-rich vapors that have escaped at the vent, frozen and then snowed out onto the ground. The red deposits from the dark spot southwest of the Amirani vent appear to have been blown away from the stronger Amirani plume. The red material may be produced by a form of sulfur. Amirani-Maui is more than 250 kilometers (160 miles) long. Such gigantic lava flows are found on Venus, the Earth, the Moon, and Mars. Massive eruptions on the Earth coincide with the times of major extinction events. The image, in false color, uses the near-infrared, green and violet filters (slightly more than the visible range) of the spacecraft's camera, processed to enhance subtle color variations. North is to the top of the picture, and the Sun illuminates the surface from almost directly behind the spacecraft. This illumination is good for imaging color variations, but poor for imaging topographic shading. The image is centered at 23 degrees north latitude and 118 degrees west longitude. The images were taken at a distance of about 130,000 kilometers (81,000 miles) by Galileo's onboard solid state imaging camera and have a resolution of 1.3 kilometers or 0.8 miles per picture element. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of Caltech. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page athttp://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov ]. Background information and educational context for the images can be found athttp://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ] |
|
Amirani-Maui: Longest Known
…
PIA02506
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Amirani-Maui: Longest Known Active Lava Flow in the Solar System |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This pair of volcanic features on Jupiter's moon Io represents the longest active lava flow known to exist in our solar system. This image, one of the highest resolution pictures ever taken of Io, was obtained by NASA s Galileo spacecraft on July 3, 1999. That was during Galileo's closest pass by Io since it entered orbit around Jupiter in December 1995. The volcanic features, Amirani (right side of image) and Maui (to the left, just below the center of the image), were originally thought to be two separate volcanoes. However, Galileo images have shown that Maui is actually the active front of a lava flow that has extended westward from a vent at Amirani for more than 250 kilometers (160 miles). Observations by Galileo's near-infrared mapping spectrometer show a hotspot at Maui, so the lava must still be flowing. Other flows extend northward from the Amirani vent. White plume deposits encircle the Amirani vent and are likely to be sulfur dioxide-rich vapors that have escaped at the vent, frozen and then snowed out onto the ground. The red deposits from the dark spot southwest of the Amirani vent appear to have been blown away from the stronger Amirani plume. The red material may be produced by a form of sulfur. Amirani-Maui is more than 250 kilometers (160 miles) long. Such gigantic lava flows are found on Venus, the Earth, the Moon, and Mars. Massive eruptions on the Earth coincide with the times of major extinction events. The image, in false color, uses the near-infrared, green and violet filters (slightly more than the visible range) of the spacecraft's camera, processed to enhance subtle color variations. North is to the top of the picture, and the Sun illuminates the surface from almost directly behind the spacecraft. This illumination is good for imaging color variations, but poor for imaging topographic shading. The image is centered at 23 degrees north latitude and 118 degrees west longitude. The images were taken at a distance of about 130,000 kilometers (81,000 miles) by Galileo's onboard solid state imaging camera and have a resolution of 1.3 kilometers or 0.8 miles per picture element. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of Caltech. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page athttp://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov [ http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov ]. Background information and educational context for the images can be found athttp://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo [ http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ] |
|
Galileo at Io artwork
NASA's Galileo spacecraft ha
…
5/3/96
| Date |
5/3/96 |
| Description |
NASA's Galileo spacecraft has found Jupiter's volcanic moon Io to have a huge iron core that takes up half its diameter. The spacecraft's 899-kilometer (559-mile) flyby of Io on December 7, 1995 is depicted in this computer graphics painting. Galileo also detected a large "hole" in Jupiter's magnetic field near Io, leading to speculation about whether Io possesses its own magnetic field. If so, it would be the first planetary moon known to have one. The mission is conducted for NASA by JPL. |
|
Galileo at Io artwork
NASA's Galileo spacecraft ha
…
5/3/96
| Date |
5/3/96 |
| Description |
NASA's Galileo spacecraft has found Jupiter's volcanic moon Io to have a huge iron core that takes up half its diameter. The spacecraft's 899 kilometer (559-mile) flyby of Io on December 7, 1995 is depicted in this computer graphics painting. Galileo also detected a large "hole" in Jupiter's magnetic field near Io, leading to speculation about whether Io possesses its own magnetic field. If so, it would be the first planetary moon known to have one. The mission is conducted for NASA by JPL. |
|
Galileo at Amalthea
| title |
Galileo at Amalthea |
| description |
An artist's concept of Galileo passing near Jupiter's small inner moon Amalthea. Galileo flew past the tiny moon in November 2002. *Image Credit*: Michael Carroll and NASA |
|
North to the Moon's Pole
| Title |
North to the Moon's Pole |
| Explanation |
This image is from the voyage of the intrepid Galileo spacecraft as it passed above the Moon's north pole on its long journey to Jupiter [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap951206.html ]. It was made over 60 years after Admiral Byrd [ http://www-bprc.mps.ohio-state.edu/ ] became the first to fly over the Earth's north pole [ http://www-bprc.mps.ohio-state.edu/Arctic.html ]. Within a superposed frame of lattitude and longitude lines much of the Moon's familiar face [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap950903.html ], dominated by smooth dark mare [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960112.html ], is brightly lit. Near the pole itself, the harsh shadows reveal a rugged, cratered lunarscape [ http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap960420.html ]. |
|
Io's Atmosphere & Volcanoes
The atmosphere and volcanic
…
12/30/00
| Date |
12/30/00 |
| Description |
The atmosphere and volcanic hotspots of Jupiter's moon Io are apparent in this view of the moon in eclipse, taken by NASA's Galileo spacecraft. Galileo is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. |
|
Surface Changes on Io
PIA00713
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Surface Changes on Io |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Four views of an unnamed volcanic center (latitude 11, longitude 337) on Jupiter's moon Io showing changes seen on June 27th, 1996 by the Galileo spacecraft as compared to views seen by the Voyager spacecraft during the 1979 flybys. Clockwise from upper left is a Voyager 1 high resolution image, a Voyager 1 color image, a Galileo color image, and a Voyager 2 color image. North is to the top of the picture. This area has experienced many changes in appearance since Voyager images were acquired, including new dark and bright deposits. This region was a hot spot during Voyager 1. Images are 762 km wide. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
|
Secondary Craters on Ganymed
…
PIA01061
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Secondary Craters on Ganymede |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Two large, ancient impact craters, known as palimpsests, have modified this area of dark terrain on Jupiter's moon Ganymede. In lower resolution images from the Voyager mission in 1979, it was observed that the diffuse edge of a large, circular bright feature cut through this area. This image was obtained by the Solid State Imaging (CCD) system aboard NASA's Galileo spacecraft, on September 6, 1996, at a higher resolution of 190 meters (623 feet) per picture element (pixel). North is to the top. The diffuse margin of this palimpsest is noticeable only as a gradual increase in the area covered by bright hummocks toward the western edge of the image. A more recent palimpsest-forming impact to the south has peppered this area with chains and clusters of secondary craters ranging from 5.7 to 1.2 kilometers (3.5 to 0.7 miles) in diameter. The image covers an area of 73 by 65 kilometers (45 by 40 miles). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is an operating division of California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
|
Grooves and Craters on Ganym
…
PIA01059
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Grooves and Craters on Ganymede |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Grooved terrain in this area of Nippur Sulcus on Jupiter's moon Ganymede is composed of ridges and troughs spaced 1 to 2 kilometers (0.6 to 1.2 miles) apart. North is to the top. A few broad (4 to 5 kilometer (2.5 to 3.1 mile) wide) ridges such as those in the northeast and southwest corners have smaller ridges on top of them. A 12 kilometer (7 mile) diameter impact crater is superimposed on these ridges. A dark ring at the base of the crater walls may be due to a collection of dark material at the base of the steep slopes. The image is 49 by 41 kilometers (30 by 25 miles) with a resolution of 200 meters (656 feet) per picture element (pixel). This image was obtained on September 6, 1996 by the Solid State Imaging (CCD) system aboard NASA's Galileo spacecraft. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is an operating division of California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
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Ganymede Groove Lanes
PIA01056
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Ganymede Groove Lanes |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
An ancient dark terrain surface is cut by orthogonal sets of fractures on Jupiter's moon Ganymede. Subdued pits visible on unbroken blocks are the remnants of impact craters which have degraded with time. Across the top of the image, a line of these subdued pits may have been a chain of craters which are now cut apart by the northwest to southeast trending fractures. North is to the top. Younger craters appear as bright circles. The fractures in this image range from less than 100 meters (328 feet) to over a kilometer (0.62 miles) in width. They display bright walls where cleaner ice may be exposed, and deposits of dark material fill their floors. This 27 by 22 kilometer (17 by 14 mile) image of northern Marius Regio was obtained on September 6, 1996 by NASA's Galileo spacecraft at a resolution of 85 meters (278 feet) per picture element (pixel). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is an operating division of California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
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Fractures in Transitional Te
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PIA01062
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Fractures in Transitional Terrain on Ganymede |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This area of dark terrain on Jupiter's moon Ganymede lies near a transitional area between dark and bright terrain. The dark surface is cut by a pervasive network of fractures, which range in width from the limit of resolution up to 2.2 kilometers (1.4 miles). Bright material is exposed in the walls of the chasms, and dark material fills the troughs. The impurities which darken the ice on the surface of dark terrain may be only a thin veneer over a brighter ice crust. Over time, these materials may be shed down steep slopes, where they collect in low areas. The image is 68 by 54 kilometers (42 by 33 miles), and has a resolution of 190 meters (623 feet) per picture element (pixel). North is to the top. This image was obtained on September 6, 1996 by the Solid State Imaging (CCD) system aboard NASA's Galileo spacecraft. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is an operating division of California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
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Global View of Io (Natural a
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PIA01064
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Global View of Io (Natural and False/Enhanced Color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Global view of Jupiter's volcanic moon Io obtained on 07 September, 1996 Universal Time using the near-infrared, green, and violet filters of the Solid State Imaging system aboard NASA/JPL's Galileo spacecraft. The top disk is intended to show the satellite in natural color, similar to what the human eye would see (but colors will vary with display devices), while the bottom disk shows enhanced color to highlight surface details. The reddest and blackest areas are closely associated with active volcanic regions and recent surface deposits. Io was imaged here against the clouds of Jupiter. North is to the top of the frames. The finest details that can discerned in these frames are about 4.9 km across. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is an operating division of California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
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Fractured Craters on Ganymed
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PIA01089
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Fractured Craters on Ganymede |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Two highly fractured craters are visible in this high resolution image of Jupiter's moon, Ganymede. NASA's Galileo spacecraft imaged this region as it passed Ganymede during its second orbit through the Jovian system. North is to the top of the picture and the sun illuminates the surface from the southeast. The two craters in the center of the image lie in the ancient dark terrain of Marius Regio, at 40 degrees latitude and 201 degrees longitude, at the border of a region of bright grooved terrain known as Byblus Sulcus (the eastern portion of which is visible on the left of this image). Pervasive fracturing has occurred in this area that has completely disrupted these craters and destroyed their southern and western walls. Such intense fracturing has occurred over much of Ganymede's surface and has commonly destroyed older features. The image covers an area approximately 26 kilometers (16 miles) by 18 kilometers (11 miles) across at a resolution of 86 meters (287 feet) per picture element. The image was taken on September 6, 1996 by the solid state imaging (CCD) system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is an operating division of California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. |
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Topography of Io
PIA01217
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Topography of Io |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This image of Io was acquired by Galileo during its ninth orbit (C9) of Jupiter as part of a sequence of images designed to cover Io at low illumination angles to map the landforms. Obtaining images at such illuminations is like taking a picture from a high altitude around sunrise or sunset. Such lighting conditions emphasize the topography of the volcanic satellite. Several mountains up to a few miles high can be seen in this view, especially near the upper right. Some of these mountains appear to be tilted crustal blocks. North is to the top of the picture. The resolution is 8.3 kilometers per picture element. The image was taken on June 27, 1997 at a range of 817,000 kilometers by the solid state imaging (CCD) system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
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Motion in Jupiter's Atmosphe
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PIA01230
Sol (our sun)
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Motion in Jupiter's Atmospheric Vortices (Near-infrared filters) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
Two frame "movie" of a pair of vortices in Jupiter's southern hemisphere. The two frames are separated by ten hours. The right oval is rotating counterclockwise, like other anticyclonic bright vortices in Jupiter's atmosphere. The left vortex is a cyclonic (clockwise) vortex. The differences between them (their brightness, their symmetry, and their behavior) are clues to how Jupiter's atmosphere works. The frames span about fifteen degrees in latitude and longitude and are centered at 141 degrees west longitude and 36 degrees south planetocentric latitude. Both vortices are about 3500 kilometers in diameter in the north-south direction. The images were taken in near infrared light at 756 nanometers and show clouds that are at a pressure level of about 1 bar in Jupiter's atmosphere. North is at the top. The smallest resolved features are tens of kilometers in size. These images were taken on May 7, 1997, at a range of 1.5 million kilometers by the Solid State Imaging system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is an operating division of California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
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Active Volcanic Plumes on Io
PIA00703
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Active Volcanic Plumes on Io |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
This color image, acquired during Galileo's ninth orbit around Jupiter, shows two volcanic plumes on Io. One plume was captured on the bright limb or edge of the moon (see inset at upper right), erupting over a caldera (volcanic depression) named Pillan Patera after a South American god of thunder, fire and volcanoes. The plume seen by Galileo is 140 kilometers (86 miles) high and was also detected by the Hubble Space Telescope. The Galileo spacecraft will pass almost directly over Pillan Patera in 1999 at a range of only 600 kilometers (373 miles). The second plume, seen near the terminator (boundary between day and night), is called Prometheus after the Greek fire god (see inset at lower right). The shadow of the 75-kilometer (45- mile) high airborne plume can be seen extending to the right of the eruption vent. The vent is near the center of the bright and dark rings. Plumes on Io have a blue color, so the plume shadow is reddish. The Prometheus plume can be seen in every Galileo image with the appropriate geometry, as well as every such Voyager image acquired in 1979. It is possible that this plume has been continuously active for more than 18 years. In contrast, a plume has never been seen at Pillan Patera prior to the recent Galileo and Hubble Space Telescope images. North is toward the top of the picture. The resolution is about 6 kilometers (3.7 miles) per picture element. This composite uses images taken with the green, violet and near infrared filters of the solid state imaging (CCD) system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft. The images were obtained on June 28, 1997, at a range of more than 600,000 kilometers (372,000 miles). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is an operating division of California Institute of Technology (Caltech). This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
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Topography and Volcanoes on
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PIA00738
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Topography and Volcanoes on Io (color) |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
The images used to create this enhanced color composite of Io were acquired by NASA's Galileo spacecraft during its seventh orbit (G7) of Jupiter. Low sun angles near the terminator (day-night boundary near the left side of the image) offer lighting conditions which emphasize the topography or relief on the volcanic satellite. The topography appears very flat near the active volcanic centers such as Loki Patera (the large dark horse-shoe shaped feature near the terminator) while a variety of mountains and plateaus exist elsewhere. The big reddish-orange ring in the lower right is formed by material deposited from the eruption of Pele, Io's largest volcanic plume. North is to the top of this picture which merges images obtained with the clear, red, green, and violet filters of the solid state imaging (CCD) system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft. The resolution is 6.1 kilometers per picture element. The images were taken on April 4th, 1997 at a range of 600,000 kilometers. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is an operating division of California Institute of Technology (Caltech). Concurrent results from Galileo's exploration of Io appear in the October 15th, 1997 issue of Geophysical Research Letters. The papers are: * Temperature and Area Constraints of the South Volund Volcano on Io from the NIMS and SSI Instruments during the Galileo G1 Orbit, by A.G. Davies, A.S. McEwen, R. Lopes-Gautier, L. Keszthelyi, R.W. Carlson and W.D. Smythe. * High-temperature hot spots on Io as seen by the Galileo Solid-State Imaging (SSI) experiment, by A. McEwen, D. Simonelli, D. Senske, K. Klassen, L. Keszthelyi, T. Johnson, P. Geissler, M. Carr, and M. Belton. * Io: Galileo evidence for major variations in regolith properties, by D. Simonelli, J. Veverka, and A. McEwen. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo |
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Ganymede Uruk Sulcus High Re
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PIA00579
Jupiter
Solid-State Imaging
| Title |
Ganymede Uruk Sulcus High Resolution Mosaic Shown in Context |
| Original Caption Released with Image |
A mosaic of four Galileo high-resolution images of the Uruk Sulcus region of Jupiter's moon Ganymede (Latitude 11 N, Longitude: 170 W) is shown within the context of an image of the region taken by Voyager 2 in 1979, which in turn is shown within the context of a full-disk image of Ganymede. North is to the top of the picture, and the sun illuminates the surface from the lower left, nearly overhead. The area shown is about 120 by 110 kilometers (75 by 68 miles) in extent and the smallest features that can be discerned are 74 meters (243 feet) in size in the Galileo images and 1.3 kilometers (0.8 miles) in the Voyager data. The higher resolution Galileo images unveil the details of parallel ridges and troughs that are principal features in the brighter regions of Ganymede. High photometric activity (large light contrast at high spatial frequencies) of this ice-rich surface was such that the Galileo camera's hardware data compressor was pushed into truncating lines. The north-south running gap between the left and right halves of the mosaic is a result of line truncation from the normal 800 samples per line to about 540. The images were taken on 27 June, 1996 Universal Time at a range of 7,448 kilometers (4,628 miles) through the clear filter of the Galileo spacecraft's imaging system. Launched in October 1989, Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter on December 7, 1995. The spacecraft's mission is to conduct detailed studies of the giant planet, its largest moons and the Jovian magnetic environment. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web Galileo mission home page at http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo. |
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Flows on Europa Jan. 17, 199
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The icy surface of Europa, o
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| Description |
The icy surface of Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter, was photographed by the Galileo spacecraft on its fourth orbit around Jupiter. The area shown here is about 77 miles (124 kilometers) by 115 miles (186 kilometers) across and shows features as small as a half a mile (800 meters) across. Thick, lobate flows, the first seen on Europa or any of the icy satellites of Jupiter, are visible in several areas, including the lower right quarter of the picture where one flow cuts across a prominent ridge. Most of the ridges on the left side of the picture appear to be partly buried or subdued by flows. The ice-rich surface of Europa suggests that the flows might also be ice, perhaps erupted onto the surface from the interior as viscous, glacierlike masses. This picture was taken by the solid state imaging television camera on board the Galileo spacecraft at a distance of 39,191 miles (63,490 kilometers). The picture is centered at 319.5 degrees West, 5.11 degrees North, north is toward the top of the image with the sun shining from the right to the left. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ##### |
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False Color Aurora
Data from NASA's Galileo spa
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6/5/97
| Date |
6/5/97 |
| Description |
Data from NASA's Galileo spacecraft were used to produce this false-color composite of Jupiter's northern aurora on the night side of the planet. The height of the aurora, the thickness of the auroral arc, and the small-scale structure are revealed for the first time. Images in Galileo's red, green, and clear filters are displayed in red, green, and blue respectively. The smallest resolved features are tens of kilometers in size, which is a ten- fold improvement over Hubble Space Telescope images and a hundred-fold improvement over ground-based images. The glow is caused by electrically charged particles impinging on the atmosphere from above. The particles travel along Jupiter's magnetic field lines, which are nearly vertical at this latitude. The auroral arc marks the boundary between the "closed" field lines that are attached to the planet at both ends and the "open" field lines that extend out into interplanetary space. At the boundary the particles have been accelerated over the greatest distances, and the glow is especially intense. The latitude-longitude lines refer to altitudes where the pressure is 1 bar. The image shows that the auroral emissions originate about 500 kilometers (about 310 miles) above this surface. The colored background is light scattered from Jupiter's bright crescent, which is out of view to the right. North is at the top. The images are centered at 57 degrees north and 184 degrees west and were taken on April 2, 1997 at a range of 1.7 million kilometers (1.05 million miles) by Galileo's Solid State Imaging (SSI) system. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ##### |
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Europa--Ice Rafting
A small region of the thin,
…
12/16/97
| Date |
12/16/97 |
| Description |
A small region of the thin, disrupted ice crust in the Conamara region of Jupiter's moon Europa shows the interplay of surface color with ice structures in this image produced with data from NASA's Galileo spacecraft camera. The white and blue colors outline areas that have been blanketed by a fine dust of ice particles ejected when an explosive impact created the large crater Pwyll (26 kilometers or 16 miles in diameter) located some 1,000 kilometers (about 620 miles) to the south. Also visible are a few small craters of less than 500 meters or 547 yards in diameter that were probably formed at the same when the impact likely threw out large, intact, blocks of around the area. The unblanketed surface has a reddish brown color that has been painted by mineral contaminants carried and spread by water vapor released from below the crust when it was disrupted. The original color of the icy surface was probably a deep blue seen in large areas elsewhere on Europa's surface. The colors in this picture have been enhanced for visibility. North is to the top of the picture and the Sun illuminates the surface from the right. The image, centered at 9 degrees latitude and 86.5 degrees south longitude, covers an area approximately 70 by 30 kilometers (44 by 19 miles), and combines data taken by the Galileo Solid State Imaging (CCD) system during three of the spacecraft's orbits through the Jovian system. Low- resolution color (violet, green, and infrared) data acquired in September 1996 were combined with medium-resolution images from December 1996 to produce synthetic color images. These were then combined with a high-resolution mosaic of images acquired on Feb. 20, 1997 at a resolution of 54 meters (59 yards) per picture element and at a range of 5,340 kilometers (3,320 miles). The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of California Institute of Technology. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ##### |
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High-Resolution Europa Mosai
…
This mosaic of images from N
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12/16/97
| Date |
12/16/97 |
| Description |
This mosaic of images from NASA's Galileo spacecraft camera shows some of the highest resolution images of Jupiter's moon Europa ever acquired. The hundreds of ridges that cut across each other indicate multiple episodes of ridge formation either by volcanic or tectonic activity within the ice. The images were taken on Nov. 6, 1997 from a range of about 3,250 kilometers (about 1,990 miles). North is to the top of the image and the Sun illuminates the scene from the left. Also visible in the image are numerous isolated mountains or "massifs". The highest of these, located in the upper right corner and lower center of the mosaic, are approximately 500 meters (1,640 feet) high. Irregularly shaped areas where the ice surface appears to be lower than the surrounding plains (in the left-center and lower left corner of the mosaic) may be related to the chaotic areas of iceberg-like features seen in earlier Galileo images of Europa. The mosaic, centered at 35.4 degrees north latitude and 86.8 degrees west longitude, covers an area of 66 by 55 kilometers (108 by 90 miles). The smallest distinguishable features in the image are about 68 meters (223 feet) across. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is a division of California Institute of Technology. This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo. Background information and educational context for the images can be found at URL http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo ##### |
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