Io Aurora
Explanation:
Alluring
aurora surrounding Io
(eye-oh) appear as a ghostly glow while
the volcanic moon orbits
within Jupiter's dark shadow.
Gas giant Jupiter is off to the right of this image, recorded in May
by the robot Galileo spacecraft's
solid state imaging camera
from a distance of about 1.3 million kilometers.
Energetic charged particles colliding with Io's atmospheric gases create
the vivid colors and produce the red and green glow analogous to
the aurora of Earth.
The striking blue light is caused by
dense volcanic plumes and may
indicate regions electrically connected
to Jupiter itself.
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.
