![]() Planet: A large celestial object that orbits a star but unlike a star does not generate any visible light. Moon: The natural satellite of any planet. Magnetic field: An area of influence created by certain materials, called magnets, or by the movement of electric charges. This planet also releases more heat than it receives from the sun as gravity compresses its mass (and slowly shrinks the planet). A gas giant, its low density indicates that this planet is composed mostly of the light elements hydrogen and helium. Jupiter: (in astronomy) The solar system’s largest planet, it has the shortest day length (9 hours, 55 minutes). The more mass that something has, the greater its gravity. Gravity: The force that attracts anything with mass, or bulk, toward any other thing with mass. Europa, 1,951 miles across, has a network of dark lines on a bright, icy surface. Or the structure of certain large rotating bodies in the cosmos, including spiral galaxies.Įuropa: One of the moons of Jupiter and the sixth-closest satellite to the planet. ![]() (in astronomy) A rotating cloudlike collection of gases, dust or both from which planets may form. Such an impact is sometimes referred to as a cratering event.ĭisk: A round, flat and usually fairly thin object. They are typically caused by an explosion or the impact of a meteorite or other celestial body. (in astronomy) Life on or from a distant world.Īstronomer: A scientist who works in the field of research that deals with celestial objects, space and the physical universe.Ĭrater: A large, bowl-shaped cavity in the ground or on the surface of a planet or the moon. Others were likely wandering space rocks that got snagged by Jupiter’s intense gravity.Īlien: A non-native organism. Some of those moons may have formed from a dusty disk that swirled around Jupiter long ago. Astronomers have found many other moons orbiting Jupiter since then. Those moons were just the beginning, though. The discovery of those four moons was key to Galileo’s realization that Earth is not the center of the universe. That fiery world is the most volcanically active place in the whole solar system. He also discovered a fourth moon of Jupiter called Io. Galileo discovered these three moons in the 17th century. See all the entries from our Let’s Learn About series Europa in particular is considered one of the most promising places to find alien life in the solar system. ![]() All three moons are icy worlds thought to have oceans lurking beneath their surfaces. But Juice will also get close-up views of three of Jupiter’s largest moons. The spacecraft will make some observations of the gas giant. This month, the European Space Agency launched its Juice mission to Jupiter.
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