Facts for Kids
Amalthea is a small, irregularly shaped moon of Jupiter, known for its reddish color and numerous craters.
Overview
Cultural References
Discovery And Naming
Exploration Missions
Atmosphere And Climate
Orbital Characteristics
Physical Characteristics
Future Research Opportunities
Relation To Other Jovian Moons
Surface Composition And Features
Inside this Article
Greek Mythology
Temperature
Spacecraft
Astronomy
Discovery
Callisto
Jupiter
Crater
Future
Color
Did you know?
🌕 Amalthea is the third-largest moon of Jupiter.
🔭 It was discovered in 1892 by astronomer Edward E. Barnard.
🐐 Amalthea is named after a nurturing goat from Greek mythology.
🌌 The moon orbits Jupiter at an average distance of about 181,000 kilometers (112,000 miles).
⏱️ It takes about 11 hours and 5 minutes to complete one orbit around Jupiter.
🥜 Amalthea has an irregular shape, resembling a peanut!
🌆 The moon is about 250 kilometers (155 miles) wide, roughly the size of a small city.
🕳️ Amalthea's surface is covered with many craters, created by rocks hitting its surface.
❄️ The surface temperature of Amalthea is around -160 degrees Celsius (-256 degrees Fahrenheit).
🚀 The spacecraft Galileo visited Amalthea in 1995 and gathered important information about it.
Introduction
It is special because it is the third-largest moon of Jupiter. This exciting moon was discovered in 1892 by an astronomer named Edward E. Barnard. Amalthea is named after a nurturing goat in Greek mythology. The moon is about 250 kilometers (155 miles) wide, meaning it's not very big compared to other moons, but it's still quite interesting! Amalthea orbits around Jupiter at an average distance of about 181,000 kilometers (112,000 miles). That's a long way up in the sky! 🚀
Cultural References
In mythology, Amalthea cared for the young Zeus, which symbolizes protection and nurturing. This makes the moon a lovely topic in stories of the night sky. Children and adults alike can look up at Amalthea and think of the ancient tales of gods and heroes. In books or movies related to space, Amalthea may not always be featured, but its intriguing name sparks curiosity about both mythology and astronomy! 🌌
Discovery And Naming
The name reflects how the moon helps scientists learn more about space and our solar system, just like Amalthea the goat helped Zeus grow strong!
Exploration Missions
Galileo was launched in 1989 and arrived at Jupiter in 1995. It took pictures and collected data about the moon and the entire Jupiter system. This mission helped scientists learn more about Amalthea's surface and its relationship with Jupiter's many other moons. In the future, other missions might also explore Amalthea, allowing us to discover even more secrets about it!
Atmosphere And Climate
An atmosphere is the layer of gases surrounding a planet or moon. Since it’s so small and made of rock and ice, there isn’t enough gravity to hold on to gases like Earth does. This means there's no weather on Amalthea; it's mostly cold and still! The temperature can vary, but it's usually very chilly, around -160 degrees Celsius (-256 degrees Fahrenheit). So, if you were to visit, you'd want to bundle up! ❄
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Orbital Characteristics
This odd shape helps astronomers study the forces that keep moons in the skies. Amalthea is one of the many moons that spin around Jupiter's enormous gravitational pull!
Physical Characteristics
Because of its uneven shape, it looks bumpy instead of smooth, like the surface of a golf ball. Amalthea is also one of the least reflective moons, which means it doesn't shine very bright in the sky. It’s like a hidden treasure in the immense space!
Future Research Opportunities
Upcoming spacecraft missions could explore this small moon to uncover more about its geology and secrets hidden on its surface. They might find out if there is any water or ice, which is important for understanding life in space. By studying Amalthea, researchers hope to answer questions about the origins of our solar system and the role of moons around giant planets like Jupiter! 🌍
So keep your eyes on the stars; exciting discoveries await!
Relation To Other Jovian Moons
Some of the most famous ones include Callisto, Ganymede, and Europa. These moons are much larger than Amalthea, and they are called the "Galilean moons" because Galileo discovered them in 1610. Even though Amalthea is smaller and less well-known, it plays an important role in helping scientists understand how moons form and interact in the environment around Jupiter.
Surface Composition And Features
️ Craters are like big dents made by rocks hitting the moon. Some craters are small, while others are larger, even a few kilometers wide! Scientists think that the surface is made mostly of a mixture of ice and rock, which makes it very interesting to study. One of the biggest features on Amalthea is a large crater called "Gaea," which is about 100 kilometers (62 miles) wide! The surface of Amalthea tells us a lot about how our solar system came to be.
Amalthea Quiz
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