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> Volcanic eruption on Jupiter's moon Io

Volcanic eruption on Jupiter's moon Io

author: Nasa/JPL/Novapix

reference: a-jup05-00219

Image Size 300 DPI: 8 * 7 cm

NASA's Galileo spacecraft caught this volcanic eruption in action on Jupiter's moon Io on November 25, 1999. This mosaic shows Tvashtar Catena, a chain of calderas, in enhanced color. It combines low resolution (1.3 kilometers, or .8 miles, per picture element) color images of Io taken on July 3, 1999 with the much higher resolution (180 meters, or 197 yards, per picture element) black and white images taken in November. The molten lava was hot enough, and therefore bright enough, to saturate, or overexpose, Galileo's camera (original image is inset in lower right corner). The bright lava curtain (a chain of lava fountains) and surface flows shown in the color image were assembled as an interpretive drawing by Galileo scientists, based on their knowledge of how the camera behaves when saturated. The lava appears to be producing fountains to heights of up to 1.5 kilometers (5,000 feet) above the surface. Several other lava flows can be seen on the floors of the calderas.

Keywords for this photo:

1999 - ASTRONOMY - ERUPTION - GALILEAN SATELLITE - GALILEO - IO - JOVIAN MOON - LAVA - SATELLITE - TVASHTAR CATENA - VOLCANO -