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Collection:
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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Collection
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Title:
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Galileo Views Io Eruption
Title
Galileo Views Io Eruption
Title
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Explanation:
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Io's surface is active [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Geyser-like eruptions from volcanoes on this Jovian [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] moon were seen by both Voyager spacecraft in 1979 and were also spotted this year in late June by Galileo's camera [ http://newproducts.…] from a distance of about 600,000 miles. The blue plume seen at the moon's edge (magnified in the inset) arises from Ra Patera [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], a large shield volcano, and extends about 60 miles above the surface. The blue color is attributed to condensing and freezing sulfur dioxide gas. Galileo images have also revealed that the plume glows in the dark - perhaps due to fluorescence of excited sulfur and oxygen ions. Io's surface is cold, its temperature averages about -230 degrees Fahrenheit [ http://www.unidata.…], " so why is it so active? " The most likely cause is the gravitational tug of war over Io between Jupiter and the other Galilean moons which perturbs Io's orbit. The orbital changes would result in tidal force variations heating Io's interior and and generating the sulfurous volcanic activity [ http://volcano.und.…].
Explanation
Io's surface is active [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…]. Geyser-like eruptions from volcanoes on this Jovian [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] moon were seen by both Voyager spacecraft in 1979 and were also spotted this year in late June by Galileo's camera [ http://newproducts.…] from a distance of about 600,000 miles. The blue plume seen at the moon's edge (magnified in the inset) arises from Ra Patera [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], a large shield volcano, and extends about 60 miles above the surface. The blue color is attributed to condensing and freezing sulfur dioxide gas. Galileo images have also revealed that the plume glows in the dark - perhaps due to fluorescence of excited sulfur and oxygen ions. Io's surface is cold, its temperature averages about -230 degrees Fahrenheit [ http://www.unidata.…], " so why is it so active? " The most likely cause is the gravitational tug of war over Io between Jupiter and the other Galilean moons which perturbs Io's orbit. The orbital changes would result in tidal force variations heating Io's interior and and generating the sulfurous volcanic activity [ http://volcano.und.…]. Explanation
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Credit and Copyright:
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Credit_and_Copyright
Credit and Copyright
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facet_when:
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1979
facet_when
1979
facet_when
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facet_where:
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Ganymede
facet_where
Ganymede
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jupiter
facet_where
Jupiter
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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facet_what:
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Galileo
facet_what
Galileo
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Voyager
facet_what
Voyager
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Ganymede
facet_what
Ganymede
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Moon
facet_what
Moon
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Jupiter
facet_what
Jupiter
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Io
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facet_when_year:
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1979
facet_when_year
1979
facet_when_year
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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UID:
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SPD-APOD-ap960815
UID
SPD-APOD-ap960815
UID
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