moons of gas giants. jupiter io innermost moon innermost moon composed of sulfur composed of sulfur...

Moons of Gas GiantsMoons of Gas Giants

JupiterJupiter

IoIo

Innermost moonInnermost moon Composed of SulfurComposed of Sulfur Volcanically ActiveVolcanically Active Heat is generated by Heat is generated by

tidal forcestidal forces

EuropaEuropa

Smallest of the Smallest of the Galilean moonsGalilean moons

Few cratersFew craters FaultsFaults Smoother than a Smoother than a

ping-pong ballping-pong ball Underwater oceanUnderwater ocean Life?Life?

GanymedeGanymede

Largest moon in the Largest moon in the solar systemsolar system

Two types of terrainTwo types of terrain Dark terrain is olderDark terrain is older Light terrain is Light terrain is

covered in ridgescovered in ridges Has a magnetic fieldHas a magnetic field

CallistoCallisto

33rdrd largest moon in largest moon in solar systemsolar system

High crater densityHigh crater density Is not effected by tidal Is not effected by tidal

heatingheating Low densityLow density Most likely place to be Most likely place to be

used as a baseused as a base

SaturnSaturn

Mimas:Mimas:

- composed composed mostly of watermostly of water

- not perfectly not perfectly sphericalspherical

- HerschelHerschel

Enceladus:Enceladus:

- 6th largest moon6th largest moon

- ice on surfaceice on surface

- ~ 100% reflectivity~ 100% reflectivity

- active eruptionsactive eruptions

Tethys:Tethys:

- has one of most has one of most visual reflective visual reflective surfacesurface

- Ithaca ChasmaIthaca Chasma

Dione:Dione:

- 3rd densest 3rd densest

- heavily cratered heavily cratered terrainterrain

- ‘ ‘wispy terrain’wispy terrain’

TitanTitan Largest moon of Saturn Largest moon of Saturn

and 2and 2ndnd largest moon in largest moon in the solar system. the solar system.

Discovered by Discovered by Christiaan Huygens Christiaan Huygens

Has an atmosphere Has an atmosphere denser than that of Earth denser than that of Earth

Life? May this help us Life? May this help us discover the learn more discover the learn more about earth’s about earth’s beginnings?beginnings?

Saturn: HyperionSaturn: Hyperion Irregular Irregular

(nonspherical) body(nonspherical) body Discovered by Discovered by

George Phillips Bond, George Phillips Bond, American American

composed primarily of composed primarily of water ice with only a water ice with only a small amount of rocky small amount of rocky materialmaterial

Saturn: IapetusSaturn: Iapetus 33rdrd largest moon of largest moon of

SaturnSaturn Discovered by Discovered by

Cassini in 1671Cassini in 1671 With a density of With a density of

only 1.1, only 1.1, Very Unique moon, Very Unique moon,

jet black on one jet black on one side, and snowy side, and snowy white on the other.white on the other.

UranusUranus

MirandaMiranda

Most Geologically Most Geologically active moon of active moon of UranusUranus

Possible heat source Possible heat source from collisionfrom collision

ArielAriel

Youngest and Youngest and brightest moons of brightest moons of Uranus Uranus

70% is composed of 70% is composed of iceice

Has some minor Has some minor geologic activitygeologic activity

UmbrielUmbriel

Darkest of Uranus’s Darkest of Uranus’s moonsmoons

Most prominent Most prominent feature is a large feature is a large impact craterimpact crater

Black material Black material thought to be dug up thought to be dug up from past impactfrom past impact

TitaniaTitania

Uranus’s largest Uranus’s largest moonmoon

Is thought to be 50% Is thought to be 50% iceice

Has many deep faultsHas many deep faults

OberonOberon

Second largest moon Second largest moon of Uranusof Uranus

Has many faultsHas many faults Core makes of 63% Core makes of 63%

of Oberonof Oberon Has a large crater Has a large crater

countcount

NeptuneNeptune

TritonTriton

Retrograde orbitRetrograde orbit Has a high inclination Has a high inclination

orbitorbit Is the same size as Is the same size as

Earth’s moonEarth’s moon Thought to be a Thought to be a

captured moon, either captured moon, either had a collision or had had a collision or had a twina twin

TritonTriton

Very high AlbedoVery high Albedo Few cratersFew craters Geologically activeGeologically active Cantaloupe terrainCantaloupe terrain