Callisto
- the second largest moon orbiting Jupiter.
- the third largest moon in the solar system.
- a diameter of 2,985 miles, which is only 1% smaller than the planet Mercury.
- Callisto is the 8th moon in distance from Jupiter and takes 17 days to make one complete orbit of the planet.
- it orbits Jupiter at an average distance of 1,168,000 miles.
- due to its orbit being further away from Jupiter it is not under the same tidal heating influences as Io, Europa or Ganymede.
- despite the lack of internal heat generated by Jupiter’s gravity it is still possible that Callisto could have a salty subsurface ocean.
- orbits beyond Jupiter’s main radiation belt making it one of more safer environments in the outer solar system to locate a future manned base.
- most cratered object in the solar system and has the oldest landscape.
- the lowest density of any of the “Galilean Moons”.
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