Io  

 Anna Compere

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Discovery:

    The Gailean Moons, or Io and her sisters, Ganymede, Callisto, and Europa, are called this because they were the only moons of Jupiter to be sighted by Galileo Galilei. In January of 1610, Galileo observed four stars that never seemed to leave the vicinity of Jupiter. Although they changed their position, he perceived that the stars were carried along with Jupiter. Finally, Galileo deduced that the stars were bodies that were orbiting Jupiter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Orbit/Notable Features:

    Io is the innermost of the Gailean Moons, and orbits Jupiter at about 422,000 kilometers. Io is also the most active body in the entire solar system. It is also one of only three moon in our solar system with an atmosphere. Covered with volcanoes that spew sulfric acid and other material 300-500 km above the surface, this moon resembles a large, coloful pizza. Lava lakes and fiery calderas (greek for cauldron) cover Io's sulfrous environment. In fact, it it because of the lava flows and plumes of volcanic smoke that the moon surface is painted with such brilliant hues of green, yellow, and red.

 

    Since Io orbits closer to Jupiter than The Moon does to Earth, it is enveloped in protons, electrons, and ions. The Jovian magnetosphere sweeps past Io and carries off about 1 ton (or 1,000 kg) per second of gasses and material from volcanic eruptions as it rotates. This generates a neutral cloud of atoms and a huge torus of ions that orbit the moon. The torus glows as pressure from its heavier ions pump up the magnetosphere.

    Io, a natural electric generator, can develop up to 400,000 volts across its diameter as it moves through Jupiter's magnetic field. Therefore, Io's extreme volcanic and geological activity is a result of the giant planet's changeable pull. In addition, tention between Jupiter and the other Galilean Satellites melt Io's interior, making the surface temperature intensely hot. Some scientists even say that Io generates to most heat of any body in the solar system, besides the the Sun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Origin of Name/Myth

All of Jupiter's moons have been named after mythological characters that are somehow connected to Zeus (also known as Jupiter), and Io is no exception. In Greek mythology, Io was a maiden that Zeus was in love with. To protect her from his wife, Hera's jealousy, he turned her into a heifer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Composition:

 

This cutaway shows the probable composition of Io's interior. The Galileo Spacecraft made measurements that suggest that Io is differentiated. This means that gravity has seperated the material on the inside of the moon by density. Io's core is believed to be made up of mostly iron and iron sulfide. The mantle that surrounds the core is made up of partly molten rock, and the crust is a thin layer of rock. Compared to our cold, dark moon, Io is literally on fire. It's volcanic plumes can reach up to 2,000 degrees Farenheit alone, and the surface temperatures around a vent are about 4,000 degrees Farenheit. However, beyond a vent the temperature can plummet to about -260 degrees.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mass: 8.9316 x 10²² kg

Distance From Jupiter: About 422,000 km

 

Rotational Period: 1.769138 Earth Days

 

Orbital Period: 1.769137786 Earth days

 

 

 

 Sources:

Calvin, Hamilton. "Io." 1997-2003. 16 Oct 2007 <http://www.solarviews.com/eng/io.htm>.

 

Janet, Wood. "Io, Jupiter's Volcanic Moon." June 5, 2003. 16 Oct 2007 <http://www.planetaryexploration.net/jupiter/io/index.html>.

 

"Solar System: Jupiter: Moons." Solar System Exploration. NASA. 16 Oct 2007 <http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/index.cfm>.

 

"Io: Moon on Fire." Astrobiology Magazine. Sunday, October 26, 2003. NASA. 16 Oct 2007 <http://www.astrobio.net/news/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=648>.

 

 

Image Links:

 

http://www.solarviews.com/eng/io.htm

 

http://jumk.de/astronomie/img/io.jpg

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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