![]() ![]() ![]() Scientists think Callisto and Jupiter’s other satellites formed in the disk of materials left over from Jupiter’s formation. Callisto’s interior may have layers of ice mixed with rock and metal, possibly extending to its center. If there is an ocean, it may be interacting with rocks, giving Callisto a chance of supporting life. More recent research reveals that this ocean may be located deeper beneath the surface than previously thought, or may not exist at all. Data gathered by the Galileo spacecraft indicate Callisto may have a subsurface ocean and scientists estimate it may be 155 miles (250 kilometers) below the surface. StructureĬallisto has an icy surface covered by craters of various shapes and sizes, including bowl-shaped craters and craters with multiple rings. It takes the Jovian system-Jupiter and all of its moons-about 12 Earth years to complete one orbit of the Sun. Jupiter and its moons orbit about 484 million miles (778 million kilometers) from our Sun. Callisto is tidally locked with Jupiter, which means that the same side of Callisto is always facing Jupiter.Ĭallisto is about 1.8 times farther from Jupiter than Ganymede, 2.8 times farther than Europa and 4.5 times farther than Io, Jupiter’s closest large moon. Credit: NASA Visualization Technology Applications and Development (VTAD)Ĭallisto orbits about 1,170,000 miles (1,883,000 kilometers) from Jupiter and it takes about 17 (16.689) Earth days for Callisto to complete one orbit of Jupiter. Callisto orbits about 1,170,000 miles (1,883,000 kilometers) from Jupiter and Jupiter orbits about 484 million miles (778 million kilometers) from our Sun.Ī 3D model of Callisto, a moon of Jupiter. Callisto’s circumference at its equator is about 9,410 miles (15,144 kilometers). Size and DistanceĬallisto is Jupiter’s second largest moon after Ganymede and it’s the third largest moon in our solar system. Zeus is identical to the Roman god Jupiter. Callisto is named for a woman turned into a bear by Zeus in Greek mythology. 7, 1610, by Italian scientist Galileo Galilei along with Jupiter’s three other largest moons: Ganymede, Europa and Io. That finding put the once seemingly dead moon on the list of worlds that could possibly harbor life.Ĭallisto was discovered Jan. But data from NASA’s Galileo spacecraft in the 1990s revealed Callisto may have a secret: a salty ocean beneath its surface. In the past, some scientists thought of Callisto as a boring “ugly duckling moon” and a “hunk of rock and ice.” That’s because the crater-covered world didn’t seem to have much going on-no active volcanoes or shifting tectonic plates. Callisto is Jupiter’s second largest moon and the third largest moon in our solar system. ![]()
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