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10 spectacular moons in our solar system

By: Katherine Butler on Dec. 14, 2011, 9:30 a.m.
half of a moon that looks like a veiny eyeball

Photo: NASA

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Jupiter's Europa

This image details the frozen surface of Europa, one of Jupiter's estimated 63 moons. Europa was named after a lover of Zeus, the Greek counterpart of Jupiter. NASA took this enhanced-color image from the Galileo spacecraft, which has been circling the largest planet on our solar system since 1995. NASA says the red lines are cracks and ridges are most likely created by the intense gravitational pull of Jupiter. As NASA writes, "The red material at the ridges and chaotic terrain is a non-ice contaminant and could be salts brought up from a possible ocean beneath Europa's frozen surface." Europa is one of Jupiter's largest moons.