Europa is one of 63 Jupiter moons located approximately 550 million Km’s from Earth. It is a ball of rock layered with water-ice and was discovered by Galileo in 1610. It is slightly smaller than our own Moon but 5 times as bright. NASA’s Galileo space probe orbited the moon in 2003 revealing close-up images of scratch-like ridges and dark spots. The probe was low on fuel during its journey and was about to die so it was purposely put on a collision course towards Jupiter as not to contaminate the icy moon.
It is believed that beneath the surface of the ice which is 80-170 Km’s deep, that their could be: a) More ice but warmer or b) An ocean of liquid water with the potential of containing more water than that found in Earth’s oceans. However, the radiation from Jupiter is problematic and may cause the hindrance of life existing. Also, the pressures may be to extreme for harbouring life.
This moon is probably the most exciting moon of all. The unlimited possibilities that are offered in regards to a life-sustaining body in our solar system are endless. The fact that microbial life similar to that found in deep oceans of Earth would blow all theories of ‘there’s no life out there’ proverbially out of the water. NASA and ESA have proposed sending a probe to Europa to continue further tests of the moon by the year 2020.
It is believed that beneath the surface of the ice which is 80-170 Km’s deep, that their could be: a) More ice but warmer or b) An ocean of liquid water with the potential of containing more water than that found in Earth’s oceans. However, the radiation from Jupiter is problematic and may cause the hindrance of life existing. Also, the pressures may be to extreme for harbouring life.
This moon is probably the most exciting moon of all. The unlimited possibilities that are offered in regards to a life-sustaining body in our solar system are endless. The fact that microbial life similar to that found in deep oceans of Earth would blow all theories of ‘there’s no life out there’ proverbially out of the water. NASA and ESA have proposed sending a probe to Europa to continue further tests of the moon by the year 2020.
