Images of Europa: Our Solar System's Moons

Europa, one of Jupiter's moons, is a fascinating world with a history of exploration by Pioneer, Voyager, and Galileo probes. It is the smallest of the Galilean moons and has a unique orbital resonance with Io and Ganymede. Europa's surface is predominantly water ice, featuring linear fractures and lenticulae. Its atmosphere is thin, primarily composed of oxygen formed by radiolysis. The moon's subsurface ocean, heated by tidal forces, may harbor life. Future missions like NASA's Europa Clipper and ESA's JUICE aim to explore these possibilities further.

Which mission first captured a close-up image of Europa?

• Pioneer

• Voyager

• Cassini

• Galileo

How long does it take for Europa to orbit Jupiter?

• 1.5 days

• 3.5 days

• 5.5 days

• 7.5 days

What are the long continuous fractures on Europa's surface called?

• Chaos terrains

• Penitentes

• Linear

• Lenticulae

What is the primary composition of Europa's surface?

• Iron

• Rock

• Sulfur

• Water ice

What causes Europa's surface to glow in the dark?

• Sunlight reflection

• Energetic ions from radiation

• Volcanic activity

• Bioluminescent organisms

How is oxygen formed in Europa's atmosphere?

• Comet impacts

• Volcanic eruptions

• Radiolysis

• Photosynthesis

What significant feature is believed to exist beneath Europa's icy crust?

• A methane lake

• A global ocean

• A rocky core

• A desert

What is the estimated depth of Europa's subsurface ocean?

• 200-300 kilometers

• 60-150 kilometers

• 400-500 kilometers

• 10-50 kilometers

Which upcoming mission is set to perform flybys of Europa?

• Cassini

• New Horizons

• Voyager 2

• Europa Clipper

What is the main goal of the JUICE mission?

• To land on Europa

• To explore Jupiter and its moons

• To study the Sun

• To explore Mars