Huge orange-red Jupiter is the largest gaseous planet in the solar system. The ancient Romans gave her a name quite appropriate: Jupiter (among the ancient Greeks - Zeus) was the supreme god on Olympus. He has a huge number of large and small companions, who named, respectively, the names of numerous lovers, wives and descendants of the aforementioned god.

Jupiter's largest moons are Ganymede, Europa, Io, and Callisto. They are also called Galilean satellites, since the famous Galileo Galilei was the first to notice them in the sky in the winter of 1610. To do this, he needed a telescope that increases the size by 32 times.

Like Jupiter itself, its moons are very bright, and their orbits are far apart, so they are easy to see even with modern field glasses.

Eight interplanetary stations successively explored the planet and its satellites. Based on these studies, we can confidently say that all the satellites of Jupiter are very unusual and each of them has its own "zest".

Io is the most colorful moon. This is explained by the fact that there are many actively spewing black, red, yellow, brown, orange lava on it. There are no active volcanoes on any other celestial bodies in the solar system, besides the Earth. Therefore, Io bears the title of the most volcanically active planet. And in the ionosphere of this satellite, under the influence of the magnetic field of Jupiter, high intensity flashes continuously.

Another moon of Jupiter, Europa is the brightest and smoothest solid celestial body in the solar system. Elevations on its surface do not exceed one meter in height. Asteroid craters are also shallow and almost invisible. The explanation for this phenomenon is that the entire planet is covered with a thick layer of ice, under which scientists suggest the presence of a huge salty ocean. When cracks and faults form on the surface of Europa, water enters there and immediately freezes, filling in the bumps. Moreover, in the waters of the "subglacial" ocean, there may be primitive life. True, everything is complicated by the very high on the planet. But scientists expect to solve all scientific and technical problems and carefully explore this mysterious satellite of Jupiter with the help of probes.

The largest of all moons is Ganymede. In size, it surpasses Mercury, and could well be an independent planet in the solar system, if it did not revolve around Jupiter, but around the Sun. Ganymede is covered with a layer of ice, and its thickness is much more significant than on Europa. The entire surface of the satellite is streaked with even furrows, the width of which reaches 15 km, and the length is 30 km. Another interesting feature of Ganymede is the presence of active "volcanoes" that spew water-salt solution, not lava. Of the atmospheric phenomena, astronomers discovered frost, the composition of which has not been studied.

Callisto is the most distant and oldest moon of Jupiter. It also consists mainly of ice, water and minerals, and its entire surface is covered with craters of various diameters. It does not have a magnetic field, which means that there is no solid metal core.

In addition to the four large ones, there are also smaller satellites of Jupiter - there are about sixty of them. These are boulders, and asteroids distant from Jupiter, which fell into it, such as Karme and Sinop. There are also the so-called inner satellites of Jupiter, whose orbits pass inside the orbit of Io. On the surface of these satellites, the largest of which are called Amalthea and Adrastea, volcanic ejecta of Io settle.

Satellites and planets of the solar system

The natural satellites of the planets play a colossal role in the life of these space objects. Moreover, even we humans are able to feel in our own skin the influence of the only natural satellite of our planet - the Moon.

The natural satellites of the planets of the solar system have long been of great interest to astronomers. To this day, scientists are studying them. What are these space objects?

Natural satellites of planets are cosmic bodies of natural origin that revolve around planets. The most interesting for us are the natural satellites of the planets of the solar system, since they are in close proximity to us.

There are only two planets in the solar system that do not have natural satellites. These are Venus and Mercury. Although it is assumed that earlier Mercury had natural satellites, however, this planet lost them in the course of its evolution. As for the rest of the planets of the solar system, each of them has at least one natural satellite. The most famous of them is the Moon, which is a faithful space companion of our planet. Mars has, Jupiter -, Saturn -, Uranus -, Neptune -. Among these satellites, we can find both very unremarkable objects, consisting mainly of stone, and very interesting specimens that deserve special attention, and which we will talk about below.

Satellite classification

Scientists divide the satellites of the planets into two types: satellites of artificial origin and natural. Satellites of artificial origin, or, as they are also called, artificial satellites, are spacecraft created by people that allow you to observe the planet around which they rotate, as well as other astronomical objects from space. Typically, artificial satellites are used to monitor the weather, broadcast, changes in the relief of the planet's surface, as well as for military purposes.

The ISS is the world's largest artificial satellite.

It should be noted that satellites of artificial origin are not only near the Earth, as many people believe. More than a dozen artificial satellites created by mankind revolve around the two planets closest to us - Venus and Mars. They allow you to observe climatic conditions, changes in terrain, as well as receive other relevant information regarding our space neighbors.

Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system

The second category of satellites - the natural satellites of the planets, is of great interest to us in this article. Natural satellites differ from artificial ones in that they were created not by man, but by nature itself. It is believed that most of the satellites of the solar system are asteroids that were captured by the gravitational forces of the planets of this system. Subsequently, the asteroids took on a spherical shape and as a result began to orbit the planet that captured them, as a constant companion. There is also a theory that says that the natural satellites of the planets are fragments of these planets themselves, which for one reason or another broke away from the planet itself in the process of its formation. By the way, according to this theory, the natural satellite of the Earth, the Moon, arose in this way. This theory is confirmed by a chemical analysis of the composition of the moon. He showed that the chemical composition of the satellite practically does not differ from the chemical composition of our planet, where the same chemical compounds are present as on the Moon.

Interesting facts about the most interesting satellites

One of the most interesting natural satellites of the planets of the solar system is - natural satellite. Charon, in comparison with Pluto, is so huge that many astronomers call these two space objects nothing more than a double dwarf planet. The planet Pluto is only twice the size of its natural satellite.

The keen interest of astronomers is a natural satellite -. Most of the natural satellites of the planets in the solar system are made up mostly of ice, rock, or both, and as a result, they lack an atmosphere. However, Titan has this, and quite dense, as well as lakes of liquid hydrocarbons.

Another natural satellite that gives scientists hope for the discovery of extraterrestrial life forms is Jupiter's satellite -. It is believed that under the thick layer of ice that covers the satellite, there is an ocean, inside which thermal springs operate - exactly the same as on Earth. Since some deep-sea life forms on Earth exist thanks to these sources, it is believed that similar life forms may exist on Titan.

The planet Jupiter has another interesting natural satellite -. Io is the only moon in the solar system where astrophysicists first discovered active volcanoes. It is for this reason that it is of particular interest to space explorers.

Natural satellite research

Studies of the natural satellites of the planets of the solar system have been of interest to the minds of astronomers since ancient times. Since the invention of the first telescope, people have been actively studying these celestial objects. The breakthrough in the development of civilization made it possible not only to discover a huge number of satellites of various planets of the solar system, but also to set foot on the main, closest to us, satellite of the Earth - the Moon. On July 21, 1969, American astronaut Neil Armstrong, along with the crew of the Apollo 11 spacecraft, set foot on the surface of the Moon for the first time, which caused rejoicing in the hearts of the then mankind and is still considered one of the most important and significant events in space exploration.

In addition to the Moon, scientists are actively engaged in the study of other natural satellites of the planets of the solar system. To do this, astronomers use not only the methods of visual and radar observation, but also use modern spacecraft, as well as artificial satellites. For example, the spacecraft "" for the first time transmitted to Earth images of several of the largest satellites of Jupiter:,. In particular, thanks to these images, scientists were able to record the presence of volcanoes on the satellite of Io, and the ocean on Europa.

To date, the global community of space explorers continues to be actively engaged in the study of natural satellites of the planets of the solar system. In addition to various government programs, there are also private projects aimed at studying these space objects. In particular, the world-famous American company "Google" is now developing a tourist lunar rover, on which many people could take a walk on the moon.

Today we will talk about some not very widely known facts about satellites. No, not about the satellites of the planets of our solar system, but about mechanical and electronic colleagues. After all, these small objects that circle above us in various orbits are of great benefit. Sometimes we do not even think about the fact that we owe many benefits to our companions.

International communications, mobile phones, state-of-the-art television, accurate weather forecasts and environmental monitoring, and even the state's notorious global surveillance of us all depend on these electronic space travelers.

The first artificial earth satellite

The only country in the world and on the entire planet that at that time could design and launch an artificial satellite into the orbit of planet Earth, with radio equipment using rockets for this, was formerly the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, and now its full legal successor is the Russian Federation.

First fact

A bit of history never hurt anyone, and if you can see a certain amount of sarcasm in the events, then even more so. At present, the United States is certainly ahead of all other countries in the field of space technology. But things were different in 1957. On December 6 of that momentous year, the Americans attempted to launch a satellite called Vanguard TV3. But they were embarrassed already two seconds after takeoff, because the launch vehicle exploded. US newspapers reacted very sharply to this failure and came up with many offensive nicknames for the exploding satellite, such as "kaputnik". And the representative of the USSR in the UN, playing on this situation, added humor to the situation by offering the Americans assistance from the Union, which the country provides to its undeveloped neighbors.

Second fact

A slightly grim coincidence happened in 1989. The satellites of the USSR "Cosmos", which were launched since 1962, wore serial numbers in accordance with the year of launch. And on January 10, 1989, the Kosmos-1989 satellite was sent into the airless space, the launch of which coincided with the death of the designer of systems for space, Glushko P.V., thus becoming a kind of monument to this man.

Third fact

Interesting information for you may be the fact that each GPS satellite launched into orbit will last there no more than 10 years. Therefore, if you send a satellite into space right now, then there will not be his brother who will be more than a decade older than the newcomer.

Fourth fact

At the beginning of the millennium, the US Department of Defense carried out special work to distort the signals of global positioning satellites - GPS. This was done to complicate the work of terrorists and enemies of this country. But in 2000, the distorting signal was removed, which very dramatically advanced civilian tracking systems.

Of all the satellites of the solar system, some of the most unusual can be distinguished. All of them have some interesting features, which will be discussed below.

Ganymede is the largest moon

Jupiter's moon Ganymede itself is very similar to the Moon, but it is much larger and is the largest satellite of the entire solar system. Another feature is the presence of magnetic poles. Ganymede is slightly larger than Mercury and slightly smaller than Mars, and could be mistaken for a planet if it also revolved around the Sun.

Ganymede

Miranda is not the most attractive companion

Satellites of Uranus are not distinguished by presentability. Out of all these satellites, a satellite called Miranda stands out very much. Its name is beautiful, but its appearance is not very. However, if you take a closer look at the surface of Miranda, you will find the most diverse landscape in the solar system: giant ridges alternate with deep plains, and some canyons are 12 times deeper than the famous Grand Canyon!

Miranda

Callisto - crater champion

Jupiter's moon Calisto immediately appears to be a dead planet that has no signs of life. A lot of meteorites fell on this satellite and, accordingly, all of them left traces behind them, which are now presented in the form of craters on the satellite. This is the main distinguishing feature of Calisto. It has the largest number of craters of all the planets and satellites of the solar system.

Callisto (bottom and left), Jupiter (top and right) and Europa (below and left of the Great Red Spot)

Dactyl is a satellite of an asteroid

Dactyl is a satellite, the main distinguishing feature of which is that it is the smallest of all the satellites of the solar system. It is only 1.6 km long, but it orbits an asteroid. Dactyl is a satellite of Ida. According to ancient Greek myth, Ida was a mountain in which tiny creatures lived - dactyls.

Asteroid Ida and its moon Dactyl

Epimetheus and Janus - the eternal race

The two satellites of Saturn in the distant past were one, but after the split they began to move in almost the same orbit, changing places every four years and miraculously avoiding a collision.

Epimetheus and Janus

Enceladus the ring bearer

Enceladus is one of the largest moons of Saturn. Almost all sunlight falls on it and is reflected, as a result of which it is considered the most reflective object in the solar system. Enceladus has geysers that shoot water vapor and dust into outer space. Scientists believe that it was because of the volcanic activity of its satellite that Saturn acquired the E ring, through which the orbit of Enceladus lies.

E Ring and Enceladus

Triton - satellite with unique volcanoes

Triton is the largest moon of Neptune. This satellite differs from others in that it revolves around the planet in the opposite direction to its rotation around the Sun. Triton has a large number of volcanoes that do not throw out lava, water and ammonia, which instantly freeze after that.

Triton

Europe - satellite-ocean

Europa is the moon of Jupiter, which has the most flat surface. This feature is due to the fact that Europe is all covered by the ocean, and on its surface there is a thin layer of ice. Under the ice there is a huge amount of liquid - several times more than on Earth. Some researchers who are studying this satellite have come to the conclusion that there may be life in the ocean of Europa.

Europe

Io - volcanic hell

Jupiter's moon Io is constantly volcanic. This is due to the very nature of the planet Jupiter, as a result of which the bowels of the satellite are subject to heating. There are more than 400 volcanoes on the surface, and volcanic formation is continuous, they can be easily seen flying by. But for the same reason, craters are practically invisible on the surface of Io, since they are filled with lava that erupts from volcanoes.

Titan is the best candidate for colonization

Saturn's moon Titan is the most unpredictable and unique moon. It has long been proven that it has a denser atmosphere than on Earth. It contains nitrogen, methane and other gases. For a long time it was not known what was hidden under these thick clouds of the satellite, and only after the device took pictures, it became clear that there were rivers and lakes of metonic and titanium nature. It is assumed that Titan also has underground water bodies, which, coupled with low gravity, makes it the best candidate for colonization by Earthlings.

Titan's upper atmosphere and Saturn's south pole

Interesting facts about the satellites of the planets. 1. The largest satellite in the solar system is Ganymede, orbiting Jupiter. It is 1.5 times the size of the Moon and even has its own magnetic field. 2. The most whimsical relief is near Miranda, a satellite of Uranus. Some of the canyons on the surface of this small moon are a dozen times deeper than the Grand Canyon on Earth. 3. Callisto, the moon of Jupiter, is known as the satellite with the largest number of craters, which cover almost its entire surface. There is no geological activity on Callisto, so the relief is not smoothed out. 4. But the other satellite of Jupiter, Io, is sometimes called the "volcanic hell" for the frenzied activity of volcanoes that dot its entire surface. Most likely, it is caused by the gravitational interaction of Jupiter itself. 5. Dactyl is the smallest moon in the solar system. It is unique in that it does not revolve around the planet, but around the asteroid Ida. 6. Saturn's moons Janus and Epimetheus were probably once one. They revolve in the same orbit, and every four years, when it seems that they are about to collide, they simply change places. 7. On Saturn's moon Enceladus, there are cryovolcanoes and geysers that actively eject matter to great heights. It is from the substance ejected by Enceladus into outer space that one of the numerous rings of Saturn is formed. 8. The only known satellite that rotates in the opposite direction to the planet is Triton, a satellite of Neptune. 9. There are many active and active cryovolcanoes on Triton, spewing water and ammonia. 10. Sooner or later, Triton will be destroyed by the gravitational influence of Neptune, after which, most likely, it will form a ring around the planet. 11. Europa, the moon of Jupiter, is supposed to have an ocean of liquid water under a layer of ice that covers the entire surface of the satellite. 12. According to rough estimates, there is several times more water on Europa than on Earth. 13. In addition, Europa has the smoothest surface of all the celestial bodies in our system. 14. The only satellite with an atmosphere is Titus. Its atmosphere is 1.5 times denser than Earth's, so its surface cannot be observed from space in the visible spectrum. The first photos of lakes, rivers and mountains on Titan were obtained after the successful landing of the Huygens space probe on it. 15. Mars' moon Phobos sets and rises twice a day. 16. The most geologically active object in the solar system is the aforementioned satellite of Jupiter, Io. 17. Satellites Titan and Ganymede are larger than the planet Mercury. 18. Saturn's moon Rhea supposedly has its own rings, but this has not yet been confirmed. 19. On Saturn's moon, Mimas, there is a huge crater, the diameter of which is about a quarter of the diameter of Mimas itself. 20. On another satellite of Saturn, Tethys, there is a huge rift. It passes along the surface of the satellite, and is equal to 80% of the equator in length. 21. The largest crater on Tethys has a diameter of a third of the diameter of Tethys itself. It is not clear how this small satellite did not break into pieces from an impact of such force. 22. Iapetus, revolving around Saturn at a distance of four million kilometers, is remarkable in that one half of it is completely smooth, and the other is completely covered with craters. This fact has not yet been explained.