Catalog Page for PIA17657

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PIA17657: Hit Hard: Possible Collision at Europa (Artist's Concept)

This artist's concept shows a possible explosion resulting from a high-speed collision between a space rock and Jupiter's moon Europa.

Target Name:	Europa
Is a satellite of:	Jupiter
Mission:	Galileo
Spacecraft:	Galileo Orbiter
Product Size:	2208 x 2292 pixels (w x h)
Produced By:	JPL
Primary Data Set:	Galileo EDRs
Full-Res TIFF:	PIA17657.tif (15.19 MB)
Full-Res JPEG:	PIA17657.jpg (338.3 kB)

Click on the image above to download a moderately sized image in JPEG format (possibly reduced in size from original)

Original Caption Released with Image:

This artist's concept shows a possible explosion resulting from a high-speed collision between a space rock and Jupiter's moon Europa. Clay-type minerals have been found on Europa's surface in a new analysis of data from NASA's Galileo mission. The pattern of these minerals suggests an asteroid about 3,600 feet (1,100 meters) across or a comet about 5,600 feet (1,700 meters) across could have hit at a shallow angle. Clay-type minerals are commonly found in primitive asteroids and some comets. These kinds of asteroids and comets also typically carry organic compounds, providing a possible way for organics to be delivered to Europa.

For more information about Europa, visit: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/europa/home.cfm .

JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Image Credit:

NASA/JPL-Caltech

Image Addition Date:

2013-12-11