Data from the Galileo probe, which is currently exploring Jupiter and its moons, recently revealed that Jupiter's ring may be formed from small pieces of rock which are eroded from the surfaces of some of its moons. The Moons of Jupiter Jupiter has at least 16 moons. It has a diameter of over 5,000 kilometers, greater than that of both Mercury and Pluto . It's surface is a mixture of old, heavily-cratered regions, and younger regions with lighter grooves and ridges. This is due to movements of the planet's crust in a similar way to earthquakes on the Earth .
Most visible markings are due to different surface materials rather than craters or ridges.
As gases are ejected from Io's volcanoes, they interact with Jupiter's intense magnetic field to form bright aurorae, in a similar fashion to the Northern Lights here on Earth. The close approach to Jupiter also deflected the comet into a smaller orbit, which brought the fragments back two years later, when they collided with Jupiter's atmosphere.