Zal Patera on Jupiter's Moon Io
Explanation:
The
Galileo orbiter's flyby of
Io last November captured an unusual part of
Jupiter's volcanic moon.
From 26,000 kilometers away, Zal
Patera was found to be a cauldron of
flowing lava,
gaseous vents, and
tremendous peaks.
Red lava can be seen in the
above picture erupting along the base of the volcanic caldera,
while cooling black lava lines the edge of a volcanic plateau.
Shadow lengths indicate that the top of Zal
Patera towers nearly 5 kilometers over
Io's molten surface.
Galileo zoomed past Io again last month,
and has begun beaming back images taken only
200 kilometers over
Io's surface.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
