Ganymede, Moon of Jupiter, Voyager 2 Image
This Voyager 2 color photo of Ganymede, the largest Gallilean satellite, was taken on July 7, 1979, from a range of million kilometers. The photo shows a large, dark circular feature about 3,200 kilometers in diameter with narrow, closely-spaced light bands traversing its surface. The bright spots dotting the surface are relatively recent impact craters, while lighter circular areas may be older impact areas. The light branching bands are ridged and grooved terrain first seen on Voyager 1 and are younger than the more heavily cratered dark regions. The nature of the bright region covering the northern part of the dark circular feature is uncertain, but it may be some type of condensate. Most of the features seen on the surface of Ganymede are probably both internal and external responses of the very thick icy layer that comprises the crust of this satellite.
Size: 4366px × 4291px
Photo credit: © Photo Researchers / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: 2, astronomy, astrophotography, ganymede, image, jupiter, moon, moons, outer, science, space, universe, voyager
