Interior of Callisto



This is a cutaway of Calisto's interior.
Click on image for full size version (113K JPEG)
Image from: NASA
When the Galileo spacecraft flew by Callisto, it made measurements which showed that Callisto was made almost entirely of the same thing. This means that Callisto never separated into layers, but is probably formed of a unusual material which is made of rock and ice combined. The fact that Callisto never separated, early in its history, probably means that Callisto never warmed up after formation.

At the same time, there were some measurements that suggested that there might be a thin salty-slushy layer of watery-ice that creates current. Water supports current. That is why people don’t drop electric appliances into the bathtub! An instrument on the spacecraft that is sensitive to current measured something that, like on Callisto, suggested a watery layer was present on Ganymede and Europa as well.

This is a picture that shows the interiors of Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto together.

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Interior of Callisto



This is a cutaway of Calisto's interior.
Click on image for full size version (113K JPEG)
Image from: NASA
When the Galileo spacecraft flew by Callisto, it made measurements which showed that Callisto was made almost entirely of the same thing. This means that Callisto never separated into layers, but is probably formed of a unusual material which is made of rock and ice combined.

At the same time, there were some measurements that suggested that there might be a thin salty-slushy layer of watery-ice right under the solid surface of Callisto that creates an electric current. This watery-ice layer is thought to be on Ganymede and Europa as well. This is a picture that shows the interiors of Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto together.

Return to Callisto

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Interior of Callisto



This is a cutaway of Calisto's interior.
Click on image for full size version (113K JPEG)
Image from: NASA
This image shows what the inside of Callisto (a moon of Jupiter) looks like. Does it look like the inside is made of many different materials or all one thing? You're right! Callisto is made of almost entirely the same thing. Scientists think the thing Callisto's made of is rock and ice combined.

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Last modified September 19, 2003 by Jennifer Bergman.
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