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Compass and Scale Image for Ganymede
About the Object
- DistanceDistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.The semi-major axis of Jupiter's orbit about the Sun is 5.2 astronomical units (483 million miles or 778 million km). Ganymede orbits at a mean distance of 665,000 miles (1 million km) from Jupiter.
About the Data
- Data DescriptionData DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.The image was created from Hubble data from the following proposal: 12244 PI: J. Saur (University of Cologne, Germany), P. Feldman and D. Strobel (JHU), K. Retherford (SwRI), M. McGrath (NASA/MSFC), and S. Duling (University of Cologne, Germany). The science team includes: J. Saur and S. Duling (University of Cologne, Germany), L. Roth (SwRI/University of Cologne, Germany), D. Strobel and P. Feldman (JHU), U. Christensen (Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Katlenburg-Lindau, Germany), K. Retherford (SwRI), M. McGrath (NASA/MSFC), F. Musacchio, A. Wennmacher, and F. Neubauer (University of Cologne, Germany), and S. Simon (Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta), and O. Hartkorn (University of Cologne, Germany). - InstrumentInstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.HST>STIS
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.Ganymede
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.Jovian Moon: Jupiter has a diameter of roughly 88,789 miles (142,984 km) at the equator. Ganymede has a diameter of 3,270 miles (5,262 km).
- Release DateMarch 12, 2015
- Science ReleaseNASA’s Hubble Observations Suggest Underground Ocean on Jupiter’s Largest Moon
- Credits
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Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
