Volcano on the moon Io

2001/08/06 Elhuyar Zientzia

• Geologia
• Astronomia

NASA's Galileo probe has collected images of the eruption of a volcano on the moon Io.

Io is the moon of the solar system with more volcanoes. XVII. Of the four moons discovered by Galileo in the nineteenth century, it is the closest to Io da Jupiter. Consequently, Io suffers a great mareal effect, not as the one we know in the terrestrial seas, but acts on the tectonic plates of the solid surface. One of the consequences of this activity is that there are many volcanoes.

The Galileo probe, sent by NASA to investigate Jupiter and its moons, has taken pictures of the eruption in one of these volcanoes. Now the probe is slowly approaching the north pole of Io. The calculated access path will pass above the eruption zone, but the probe may be terminated when it reaches the nearest location.