From NASA's Planetary Photojournal This 12-frame mosaic provides the highest resolution view ever obtained of the side of Jupiter's moon Europa that faces the giant planet. Lower resolution context was provided by images acquired during earlier Galileo orbits. Numerous linear features in the center of the mosaic and toward the poles may have formed in response to tides strong enough to fracture Europa's icy surface. Bright white spots near the western limb are the ejecta blankets of young impact craters.
North is to the top of the picture and the sun illuminates the surface from the left.
The image, centered at 0 latitude and 10 longitude, covers an area approximately 2,500 by 3,000 kilometers. Galileo Orbiter Back to index. All Rights Reserved.