Astronomy Picture of the Day -- All the Water on Europa

NASA ^ | May 24, 2012 | (see photo credit)

[SunkenCiv]

Explanation: How much of Jupiter's moon Europa is made of water? A lot, actually. Based on the Galileo probe data acquired during its exploration of the Jovian system from 1995 to 2003, Europa posses a deep, global ocean of liquid water beneath a layer of surface ice. The subsurface ocean plus ice layer could range from 80 to 170 kilometers in average depth. Adopting an estimate of 100 kilometers depth, if all the water on Europa were gathered into a ball it would have a radius of 877 kilometers. To scale, this intriguing illustration compares that hypothetical ball of all the water on Europa to the size of Europa itself (left) - and similarly to all the water on planet Earth. With a volume 2-3 times the volume of water in Earth's oceans, the global ocean on Europa holds out a tantalizing destination in the search for extraterrestrial life in our solar system.

[SunkenCiv]

[Credit & Copyright: Kevin Hand (JPL/Caltech), Jack Cook (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution), Howard Perlman (USGS)]

[SunkenCiv]

Let me guess -- jokes from "2001: a Space Odyssey".

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[mylife]

Amazing.

[moonshot925]

Does NASA still have a plan to explore the moons of Jupiter?

[wastedyears]

We found water. Now we need to process it to make it drinkable for humans, and there we go, asteroid mining.

[Sea Parrot]

Hmm, I wonder how the ice fishing is there on Europa?

[Secret Agent Man]

I love the new science of today.

Lots of “could of’s” and “if’s” and “assuming”, and then we just write the whole article as if it’s all true.

I ‘spose scientists got to eat too. Too bad most are paid out of taxpayer dollars.

[GraceG]

We should totally attempt a landing there....

[GraceG]

If they keep squeezing the people of earth we will have colonize space like the pilgrims colonized new england....

[Dundee]

....All these worlds are yours, except Europa. Attempt no landing there....

[GladesGuru]

Careful what you sink a gaff into!

[magellan]

"Does NASA still have a plan to explore the moons of Jupiter?"

We already did that:

Galileo Spacecraft

[bigheadfred]

Let me guess -- jokes from "2001: a Space Odyssey".

Who has time for 2001 jokes?

How about some space idiocy instead?

Europa posses a deep, global ocean of liquid water beneath a layer of surface ice.

Careful what you sink a gaff into!

Careful what you sink a gaffe into!

Sorry. I don't know what could have possessed me.

[6SJ7]

So if there’s more water on Europa than Earth, can we stop using those damnable ‘water saving’ washing machines which don’t wash clothes?

[MaxMax]

Front loaders don't use that much water and do a better job of cleaning.
I'm waiting for the new Green urine washer that recycles human waste and
saves water at the same time. And is powered by a bicycle.

[jmcenanly]

Enceladus, in orbit around Saturn, has similar amounts of water, not to mention Saturn’s famous rings. There is more water outside the asteroid belt than within it

[SunkenCiv]

If you’re required to use one of those, it’s time to move out of that jurisdiction, or buy a washer somewhere outside it and bring it in.

[SunkenCiv]

[SunkenCiv]

Still, Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids.

[SunkenCiv]

:’D

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks!

[TheOldLady]

Well, it’s just so comforting to know that when global warming makes all the water evaporate off the earth, we will be able to travel to the outer reaches of the Solar System and NASA can replenish our supply here on earth.

Uh... hmmm... Oh.

[martin_fierro]

INTREDASTING!

[blueunicorn6]

Europa? It’s probably all in green Perrier bottles.

[martin_fierro]

** guffaw **

[SunkenCiv]

;’)

[GladesGuru]

Careful what you sink a gaff into!

Careful what you sink a gaffe into!

Sorry. I don’t know what could have possessed me.

Perhaps the fumes from the bait?

[lbryce]

‘Rocket Man’ Bernie Taupin is most grateful for your comment.

[wastedyears]

Why, they have bad crime?

[SunkenCiv]

No, it’s just cold as hell, and there’s no one there to raise them if you did.

[SunkenCiv]

;’)

[SunkenCiv]

[’Civ takes a bow]

[bigheadfred]

I’m so glad you got it.