How big are the Galilean moons?
Together, they contain almost 99.999% of the total mass in orbit around Jupiter, and range from being 400,000 and 2,000,000 km from the planet. Outside of the Sun and eight planets, they are also among the most massive objects in the Solar System, with radii larger than any of the dwarf planets.
How do the sizes of the Galilean moons compare to the size of Mercury?
Ganymede is the largest natural satellite in the Solar System at 5262.4 kilometers in diameter, which makes it larger than the planet Mercury – although only at about half of its mass since Ganymede is an icy world.
What are the 4 Galilean moons?
A comparison “portrait” of Jupiter’s four Galilean moons Io, Europa, Gany- mede, and Callisto, each with different characteristics.
How large are Jupiter’s moons?
The Moons of Jupiter
| Name | Discoverer | Diameter |
|---|---|---|
| Ganymede | Galileo, 1610 | 5,260 km/3,268 mi |
| Callisto | Galileo, 1610 | 4,800 km/2,983 mi |
| Leda | Kowal, 1974 | 15 km/9 mi |
| Himalia | Perrine, 1904 | 185 km/115 mi |
What are the name of Galilean moons?
The Galilean Moons The German astronomer Simon Marius claimed to have seen the moons around the same time, but he did not publish his observations and so Galileo is given the credit for their discovery. These large moons, named Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, are each distinctive worlds.
What is the largest moon in the solar system?
Ganymede
Ganymede has a radius of 1,635 miles (2,631 kilometers) and is the largest moon in our solar system. It’s bigger than Mercury and Pluto. Ganymede is about 665,000 miles (1.07 million kilometers) from Jupiter, which orbits about 484 million miles (778 million kilometers) from the Sun.
Which Galilean moon has the smoothest surface?
Europa
On Earth, these cracks would indicate such features as tall mountains and deep canyons. But none of these features are higher than a few kilometers on Europa, making it one of the smoothest objects in our Solar System.
What planet is it said the Galilean moons belong to?
planet Jupiter’s
The planet Jupiter’s four largest moons are called the Galilean satellites after Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei, who first observed them in 1610.
Which is the largest of the Galilean moons?
Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system (larger than the planet Mercury), and is the only moon known to have its own internally generated magnetic field.
What are the names of the Galilean satellites?
The Galilean satellites were first seen by the Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610. Shown from left to right in order of increasing distance from Jupiter, Io is closest, followed by Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
What do Jupiter’s moons look like?
From Earth, through a small telescope or strong binoculars, the moons look like tiny starlike pinpricks of light. But you’ll know they’re not stars because you’ll see them stretched out in a line that bisects Jupiter. Depending on what sort of optical aid you use, you might glimpse just one moon or see all four.