The American probe Juno, in orbit around Jupiter since 2016, continues its exploration of the Jovian worlds: on September 29, the NASA machine passed 412 kilometers from the moon Europe, at a speed of 24 kilometers per second, taking advantage of this flyby to deliver the most detailed images of the icy surface of the star, illuminated by the sunlight reflected by Jupiter. The photograph, covering an area of approximately 200 kilometers per side, reveals a series of sometimes double fracture lines. We can also guess darker areas that could be the result of eruptive material having pierced the carapace of ice several kilometers thick which floats above an ocean surrounding the sixth moon of the Solar System – it is 90% of the diameter of our Moon – and fourth in size among Jupiter’s natural satellites, behind Ganymede, Callisto and Io, in descending order. NASA is planning a mission dedicated to Europa, Europa Clipper, to be launched in October 2024, for an arrival in the vicinity of Jupiter in 2030.
The title of this article has been corrected and the text completed to clarify Europe’s rank in terms of size among Jupiter’s natural satellites.