Io

** [|science.nasa.gov/]

 Created by: Allison W & Lindsay K ** __ **Io **__ Io is the innermost of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter. It is the fourth largest moon in the solar system. Discovered in 1610 by Galileo. It has over 400 volcanoes that are active. The surface of Jupiter’s moon is covered with more than 100 mountains. These mountains are taller than Mount Everest. It is known as one of the most volcanic bodies. It contains lava lakes and volcanic geysers that shoot sulfurous spouts up to over 500 km high.

 Io's Surface   <span style="color: rgb(72, 102, 224)"> <span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(147, 254, 93); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; background-color: rgb(56, 56, 56); text-align: left"><span style="color: rgb(72, 102, 224)">Io's surface covered in lava **a close up of Io's surface [|history.nasa.gov] [|www.solarviews.com/]**    <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(147, 254, 93); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; background-color: rgb(56, 56, 56); text-align: left">    <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(147, 254, 93); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; background-color: rgb(56, 56, 56); text-align: left"><span style="color: rgb(72, 102, 224)">      <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(147, 254, 93); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; background-color: rgb(56, 56, 56); text-align: left"><span style="color: rgb(72, 102, 224)">       <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(147, 254, 93); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; background-color: rgb(56, 56, 56); text-align: left"><span style="color: rgb(72, 102, 224)"> <span style="color: rgb(253, 149, 13)"><span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive"><span style="color: rgb(255, 227, 26)"><span style="color: rgb(255, 208, 31); background-color: rgb(56, 56, 56)">What we know about Io  <span style="color: rgb(255, 153, 41)"> Io was named after the priestess of the Goddess Hera. Zeus, Hera's husband fell in love with Io and one day went to her in the form of a cloud. Hera saw the cloud and knew that it was Zeus then she went to see what he was doing. When Hera arrived Zeus turned Io into a white heifer (cow) in order to hide his actions. Hera knew what he did and asked him to give her the heifer. Zeus gave her the cow and she tied it to a tree and told her 100 eyed servant to watch Io, because all of his eyes were never all closed. Zeus then sent his son Mercury to save Io by telling stories and singing in order to make Argus fall asleep. Argus eventually fell asleep and Mercury chopped off his head and untied Io. After hearing of Argus' death Hera sent a gadfly to sting and torment Io forever. Only after Zeus swore that he would never pursue Io again and Hera turned her back into a human. When Voyager 1 passed Io it took pictures that showed a hoof print on Io's surface. [|windows.ucar.edu]
 * The surface of Io is the most unique out of any body in the solar system. Scientists on the Voyager were hoping that it would be similar to the terrestrial planets, which it would have many impact craters. But instead the found that it had very few craters. Thus telling the scientists that the surface of the planet is very young! some of the hot spots on the surface can reach a temperature up to about 2000k but can normally average out to 130 k**   <span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center">

What we want to know about Io !

What is the core made of? Io's core is made of Iron. [|nineplanets.org]

<span style="color: rgb(165, 208, 243)"> <span style="color: rgb(255, 163, 15)"> Why is Io so volcanic? Because Jupiter is so big it's gravitational pull pulls on it's closest moon, Io. At the same time Io is pulled away from Jupiter by the gravitational pull of the moons Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Because Io is being pulled into 2 different directions Io is stretched and squeezed causing it's insides to heat up. Eventually cracks appear on Io's surface and lava spews out of the cracks and onto the surface  <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="text-align: left; display: block">[|planetaryexploration.net]  <span style="color: rgb(144, 250, 66)"> [|planning.jpl.nasa.gov]      <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"> <span style="color: rgb(144, 250, 66)">  What is Io's temperature? Io has a temperature of -216°F, its hot spots are only 81°F. [|solarviews.com] <span style="color: rgb(222, 194, 84); text-align: left; display: block"><span style="color: rgb(240, 56, 232)"><span style="color: rgb(230, 64, 252)"><span style="color: rgb(227, 2, 5)">

How can Io be freezing cold and have volcanic eruptions? At the top of the plumes, that are just into space, beneath them it is freezing. scientists believe thats it is snowing. Crystallized flakes of sulfur fall into the top of the plumes. <span style="color: rgb(251, 156, 24)"> <span style="color: rgb(254, 167, 37)">   <span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"> <span style="color: rgb(251, 156, 24)"> <span style="color: rgb(254, 167, 37)"><span style="color: rgb(251, 156, 24)"> What is Io's atmosphere made of? It is made of a thin layer of sulfur dioxide. <span style="color: rgb(253, 144, 246)">      <span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"> <span style="color: rgb(86, 190, 4)"><span style="color: rgb(244, 232, 42)"> This is a geyser of sulfur dioxide on Io [|http://www.arcadiastreet.com/cgvistas/images/]

How long is its orbit? Io's orbit takes approximately 1.769 earth days. [|planetary.org/]

How high are Io's mountains? Io's mountains can reach 52,000 feet tall. [|solarviews.com] <span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"><span style="color: rgb(232, 152, 2)">  <span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"> <span style="color: rgb(61, 224, 0)"> How big is Io? <span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"><span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; color: rgb(56, 134, 224); background-color: rgb(56, 56, 56); text-align: left"><span style="color: rgb(254, 184, 6)"><span style="color: rgb(232, 152, 2)">    <span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"> <span style="color: rgb(61, 224, 0)">Io is 3642.6km big and due to the size of it, it only has 18.3% Gravity. http://www.answers.com/topic/galilean-moons <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">  <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)">   <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"> <span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"><span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; color: rgb(56, 134, 224); background-color: rgb(56, 56, 56); text-align: left">    <span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center">   <span style="display: block; color: rgb(109, 161, 248); font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; text-align: center"><span style="display: block; color: rgb(80, 123, 242); background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); text-align: center"><span style="display: block; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; color: rgb(56, 134, 224); background-color: rgb(56, 56, 56); text-align: left"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"> How was Io discovered? On January 7 1610 Galileo looked at Jupiter and noticed that there were three stars in a line next to each other. The next day he noticed that the stars moved the wrong way, a week later he concluded that the stars were not stars but moons. The discovery supported the heliocentric theory of Nicolaus Copernicous. the Heliocentric theory states that the sun is at the center of the solar system. but they were against Heliocentrism, and thought that Earth was the center. Originally Galileo referred to his discovery as Cosmica Sidera, which means "Cosmos stars". He named Io after the Grand-duke of Tuscany, but the Grand-duke told Galileo that he had to change the name, so he called it Medicea Sidera which mean "Medicine stars". Simon Marious knew Io as "Jupiter I", or "the first satellite of Jupiter". http://www.answers.com/topic/galilean-moons

Which of Jupiter's moons are bigger than Io? Jupiter's moons Ganymede and Callisto are both bigger than Io. [|wisegeek.com]

THE MISSIONS TO IO

In 1989 the Galileo spacecraft was launched and arrived at its destination Jupiter on December 7th 1995, where it fired the main engine for a successful orbit capture around Jupiter. At that time the Galileo's atmospheric probe dove into The Jovian planets atmosphere and retrieved information on the planet. The orbiter was in orbiting around Jupiter collecting and studying information for the next 2 years. after completing this mission, they would spend the next 2 years on a new project "Galileo Europa Mission". [|http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/mission.html]

<span style="color: rgb(102, 255, 0)"><span style="background-color: rgb(0, 0, 0)"> These are the Galilean moons of Jupiter (left to right) Ganymede, Callisto, Io, and Europa[| http://www.daviddarling.info/images/Galilean_moons.jpg]