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Astrophysics Presentation Elon University Spring 2010 Jessica Jackson Is There Life on the Moons of the Gas Giants? Jupiter’s Galilean Moons Io Europa Ganymede Callisto How did moons come about? • Formed systematically with Jupiter • Possibly formed from sub nebula around Jupiter Why isn’t Jupiter a star? Jupiter: 89% hydrogen 11% helium Sun: 78% hydrogen 19.8% helium Mass! Sun produces heat energy from fusion. Sun’s core = 60,000,000 °C Jupiter’s core = 33,000 °C Jupiter would need to be 60X more massive to be a star. Jupiter’s Io Iron-rich core, silicate mantle and crust Entirely molten at least once JJupiter’s Europa Layer of liquid-water below Europa’s surface Saturn’s Titan Huygens Probe Discoveries Wind speeds up to 210 m/s Atmospheric pressure is 1.5 atm Temperature 93 K Nitrogen 87%-99% Methane 1%-6% Argon 0%-6% Liquid water on Titan? No, but methane Saturn’s Enceladus Saturn’s Mimas Herschel Crater Uranus’ Miranda
