What is Europa?
Q: What is Europa?
A: Europa is a large moon of the planet Jupiter. It is the sixth-largest moon in the solar system and has a diameter of about 3000 kilometers.
Q: What does the surface of Europa look like?
A: The surface of Europa is icy and very smooth, with few craters but some cracks and lines.
Q: Who discovered Europa?
A: Simon Marius discovered Europa in December 1609, although Galileo Galilei first saw it in January 1610.
Q: How did Simon Marius name Europa?
A: Simon Marius named the moon 'Europa' after a princess from Greek mythology who became the first queen of Crete. Prior to this, people usually called it 'Jupiter II'.
Q: Is there liquid on Europa's surface?
A: No, scientists believe that there is a liquid ocean under its surface which is kept warm by tidal heating due to Jupiter's strong gravitational pull on it.
Q: How big is Europa compared to Earth's Moon?
A: Europa is slightly smaller than Earth's Moon.
Q: When was the name 'Europa' officially adopted for this moon? A: The name 'Europa' was officially adopted for this moon during the middle of the 20th century.
