GANYMEDE

 

 

 

By: Tucker James Sargent

 

Mr. Coyle's Block C Earth/Space Science Class

 

 

 

 

                                  

 

 

 

 

 

Location in the Solar System

 

Ganymede is the largest moon in Jupiter's orbit. It is 1,070,000 km away from Jupiter.

 

 

 

Discovery

 

Ganymede is known most to be discovered by Galileo Galilei, who documented its existence in 1610.  It was also discovered independently be Simon Marius.  Ganymede is the third of four the Gailean Moons.  The four Gailean Moons are: Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto.

 

 

                                                     

 

 

 

Origin/description of name

 

The German astronomer Simon Marius had also discovered the planet and named it Ganymede, who in greek Mythology was a Trojan boy of great beauty who Zeus carried away to be cup bearer to the gods.

 

 

 

 

Size

 

Ganymede is the largest moon in Jupiter's orbit, and even the whole solar system!!!  If it was in The Sun's orbit instead of Jupiter's, it would be considered a planet.  Ganymede with a diameter of 5,262 km (3,280 miles) is larger than the planet Mercury.

 

 

 

Structure and composition

 

Ganymede has a mantle of water and ice, and a crust of rock and ice.  the core probably takes up half of the planets diameter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Sources

 

 

"Ganymede." Encyclopædia Britannica. 2007. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. 22  Oct.  2007  <http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9036012>.

 

“Jupiter’s Moons.”  Journey Through The Galaxy.  September 13, 2006.  22 Oct 2007 <http://burro.astr.cwru.edu/stu/stars_main.html>

 

Hamilton, Calvin J.. "Ganymede." Views of the Solar System. 1995-2007. 12 Oct 2007 <http://www.solarviews.com/eng/ganymede.htm>.