Object Analysis

Europa is the smallest of the four Galilean moons orbiting Jupiter, and the sixth-closest to the planet. It is also the sixth-largest moon in the Solar System. Europa was discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei. Slightly smaller than Earth's Moon, Europa is primarily made of silicate rock and has a water-ice crust and probably an iron–nickel core.

It has a tenuous atmosphere composed primarily of oxygen. Its surface is striated by cracks and streaks, but craters are relatively few. The smoothness of the surface led to the hypothesis that a water ocean exists beneath it, which could conceivably harbor extraterrestrial life.

The heat energy from tidal flexing ensures that the ocean remains liquid and drives geological activity similar to plate tectonics. NASA's upcoming Europa Clipper mission is designed to study this moon in detail to determine if it has conditions suitable for life.