Europa

= = Europa is one of Jupiter's more unique moons. Since it has one if the brightest surfaces in the solar system, it has fascinated scientists for hundreds if years. It was first discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610, and it became known as one of the Galilean satellites. Galileo first noticed Jupiter's biggest moons when he saw that four star-like objects never quite moved away from jupiter, but just stayed with it while it moved, each giving Jupiter & the others sufficient room to move. Europa was named after a Phoenician princess of whom the leader of the gods, Zeus, fell in love with. He transformed into a white bull, carried her off to the island of Crete, where she became the first Queen of Crete. They had babies. The fascination of the discovery Galileo began in 1610, but only recently have we started to really learn about it.
 * Introduction**

Galileo lived in a time where you need sufficient proof that something or that a theory is in fact true. In his time, there was already a device like the telescope already invented, but Galileo made a series of telescopes that would be of better use than the device the Dutch invented. He started discovering how to magnify his lenses even more, and even see greater distances. He turned his telescope on Saturn first, and then started looking at Venus, our moon, Jupiter and its various moons. Galileo figured all he discovered was evidence of Copernicanism, but the proof wasnt there. He discovered all of Jupiters closest moon, Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. Europa was named after Jupiter's girlfriend in Greek mythology. Galileo supported Copernicanism silently, but didnt want to cause a public speculation over his discoveries. Back then, they lived with alot of theories and assumptions that others have either been discovering or just plain making up stories about. Alot of the discoveries that Galileo made are still being studied today, with telescopes and satellites and computers that they didnt have back in Galileo's time. We didnt start to really discover what made up Europa until the past fifty or sixty years.
 * Impact**

Europa's surface is ice, plain and simple. Nothing but frozen ice, but underneath that ice is what intersts scientists this earth sized Jupiter moon. The interior of Europa is similar to that of Eath, with an iron core, rocky mantle, and a ocean on its surface. But, this ocean spreads across the ENTIRE moon, not just parts. The resonating cracks that are all over Europa's surface, making it look like a child's sketch's, are from area's where the ocean flows out and freezes on the surface. We belive that there are single-celled living organisms that live in this vast set of ocean, but we havent gotten to prove that yet. Scientists are working on a probe that they are going to try and reach Europa with. It will land on the surface, and then it will burrow down into the ocean where it will either prove or deny that life might actually exist it the ocean. There are also small hills on Europa, as well as cracks where water has erupted out from the ocean and was instantly frozen on Europa's surface. Scientists have also found out that oxygen, small amounts of oxygen are also inhabiting Europa's icy surface. They are still studying Europa, in hopes that life will be found.
 * The Future**