Jovian Satellites Trivia Quiz

Answer:

Io (Jupiter I)
Discovered by Galileo Galilei on January 8, 1610, Io is the innermost of the Galilean moons and one of the most geologically active bodies in the solar system. Its surface is constantly reshaped by hundreds of volcanoes, fueled by tidal forces from Jupiter and neighbouring moons. Io's colorful terrain is painted by sulfur compounds, and its lack of water sets it apart from other outer solar system moons.

Europa (Jupiter II)
Also discovered by Galileo Galilei on January 8, 1610, Europa is an icy moon with a smooth surface crisscrossed by dark streaks. Beneath its frozen crust lies a vast subsurface ocean, kept liquid by tidal heating. This hidden sea makes Europa one of the most promising places to search for extraterrestrial life.

Ganymede (Jupiter III)
Found by Galileo Galilei on January 7, 1610, Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system-larger than Mercury. It's the only moon known to have its own magnetic field and likely harbors a deep subsurface ocean. Its surface features both ancient cratered regions and grooved terrain shaped by tectonic forces.

Callisto (Jupiter IV)
Discovered by Galileo Galilei on January 7, 1610, Callisto is the outermost Galilean moon and has the most heavily cratered surface in the solar system. Its ancient landscape has remained largely unchanged for billions of years, and it may conceal a subsurface ocean beneath its icy crust.

Amalthea (Jupiter V)
Spotted by Edward Emerson Barnard on September 9, 1892, Amalthea is an irregularly shaped inner moon with a reddish hue. It orbits close to Jupiter and contributes dust to the planet's faint ring system. Its porous structure and low density suggest it may be a captured asteroid or a remnant from Jupiter's early formation.

Himalia (Jupiter VI)
Discovered by Charles D. Perrine on December 3, 1904, Himalia is the largest of Jupiter's irregular outer moons. It likely originated as a captured asteroid and is the namesake of the Himalia group, a cluster of moons with similar orbits and characteristics.

Elara (Jupiter VII)
Found by Charles D. Perrine on January 5, 1905, Elara is part of the Himalia group and shares a similar orbit. Though smaller than Himalia, it's one of Jupiter's larger irregular moons and may also be a fragment of a captured asteroid.

Pasiphae (Jupiter VIII)
Discovered by Philibert J. Melotte on January 27, 1908, Pasiphae is a retrograde moon, meaning it orbits Jupiter in the opposite direction to the planet's rotation. It's the largest member of the Pasiphae group and is thought to be a remnant of a captured and shattered asteroid.

Sinope (Jupiter IX)
Found by Seth B. Nicholson on July 21, 1914, Sinope is another retrograde moon and a possible member of the Pasiphae group. Its reddish color and orbital differences suggest it may have a separate origin, possibly as an independently captured object.

Lysithea (Jupiter X)
Discovered by Seth B. Nicholson on July 6, 1938, Lysithea is a small prograde moon in the Himalia group. Its orbit and composition suggest it may be a fragment of a larger body that broke apart, contributing to the formation of other moons in the group.

Carme (Jupiter XI)
Identified by Seth B. Nicholson in 1938, Carme is the namesake of the Carme group of retrograde moons. Its pinkish hue and distant orbit imply it was likely a captured D-type asteroid, adding diversity to Jupiter's moon system.

Ananke (Jupiter XII)
Discovered by Seth B. Nicholson in 1951, Ananke leads the Ananke group of retrograde moons. Its dark surface and irregular orbit support the theory that it was once part of a larger body disrupted by a collision.

Leda (Jupiter XIII)
Found by Charles T. Kowal in 1974, Leda is one of Jupiter's smallest known moons. It orbits in the same direction as Jupiter and is part of the Himalia group, though it's much smaller and harder to observe.

Thebe (Jupiter XIV)
Discovered by Voyager 1 in 1979, Thebe is an inner moon orbiting just outside Amalthea. It contributes material to Jupiter's rings and has a lumpy, irregular shape due to its small size and weak gravity.

Adrastea (Jupiter XV)
Spotted by Voyager 2 in 1979, Adrastea is one of the closest moons to Jupiter. It plays a key role in maintaining the planet's main ring and orbits within Jupiter's intense radiation belts, making it a challenging target for observation.

The other six moons named in this quiz are satellites of Saturn:

Mimas (Saturn I)
Enceladus (Saturn II)
Tethys (Saturn III)
Dione (Saturn IV)
Rhea (Saturn V)
Titan (Saturn VI)