Galileo's still producing discoveries: A magma ocean within Io!

Posted 2011/05/13 11:44 CDT | 0 comments

A fresh report was published online yesterday in Science Express on the discovery of a magma ocean beneath the surface of Io. Big news! This is a paper I've been looking forward to seeing for more than year and half.

Exposing Io's true colors

Posted 2010/08/20 05:15 CDT | 0 comments

Thanks to its active volcanic activity and sulfur-rich surface, Io is one of the most colorful worlds yet seen in the Solar System, save the Earth of course

Chaac Patera, Io

Posted 2013/06/15 | 0 comments

This mosaic shows a portion of the northeastern margin of Chaac Patera, a volcanic depression on the anti-Jupiter hemisphere of Io. The terrain to the upper left is the hummocky plains that make up the upper level of the depression in which Chaac sits. The terrain to the lower right is the floor of Chaac Patera, consisting of thin overlapping silicate flows. At a resolution of 7 meters (23 feet) per pixel, these are the highest resolution images of lava flows ever obtained from Io. The images were taken from a distance of 700 to 800 kilometers (roughly 400 to 500 miles) and are centered around 12°N,158°W. North is to the top and the sun illuminates the surface from the right. For context, see this NASA Photojournal entry.

Lineae and lenticulae on Europa

Posted 2013/06/15 | 0 comments

This mosaic of Galileo SSI images from 1998 and 1999 runs from Mehen Linea at the top of the frame, across the intersection of Minos and Udaeus Lineae, and finally to the lenticulated terrain northwest of Dyfed Regio. The resolution of this mosaic is 228 meters per pixel.

Europa's South Polar Region

Posted 2013/06/15 | 0 comments

This mosaic of Galileo SSI images from September 1998 covers an area near the south polar region of Europa (~79°S, 128°W). The image resolution is 43 meters per pixel.