Io
From Gwn
| Io | |
| |
| Discovered: | 1610 CE |
| Named After: | Named after the Greek Goddess |
| Relative Size: | .023 Earths |
| Satellites: | Satellite of Jupiter |
Io is the innermost of the four Galilean moons of Jupiter. Io is the fourth largest moon in the Olympus Major Solar System. Although the name "Io" was suggested by Simon Marius soon after its discovery in 1610, this name and the names of the other Galilean satellites fell into disfavor for a considerable time, and were not revived in common use until the mid-20th century. In much of the earlier astronomical literature, Io is simply referred to by its Roman numeral designation as "Jupiter I", or simply as "the first satellite of Jupiter".
Unlike most moons in the outer solar system, Io may be somewhat similar in bulk composition to the terrestrial planets, primarily composed of molten silicate rock. Io has a core of iron mixed with iron sulfide, and the core's radius is at least 900 km. Unlike the other Galilean satellites, Io has little or no water. This is probably because Jupiter was hot enough early in the evolution of the solar system to drive off the volatile elements in the vicinity of Io, but not hot enough to do so farther out. Io has the highest density out of all the moons in the Solar System.
History
ICS
Notable Places
Main ICS Colony Cluster
Meaning of the Name
Io is named after the Greek mythological figure Io, one of the many lovers of Zeus (who is also known as Jupiter in the Roman mythology). In Greek mythology, Io was the daughter of Inachus, a river god. In most accounts, she is a priestess of Hera.
