|
|
The Galilean Moons
Jupiter's four largest moons, Io, Europe, Ganymede and Callisto, are known as the Galilean moons. Io, Europa, and Ganymede orbit in a 1:2:3 resonance. Callisto almost has a 1:4 resonance with Io. Someday it may get locked into resonance too.
Watch as the three innermost Galilean moons orbit in resonance with each other. Every time Io and Europa are lined up on the same side of Jupiter, Ganymede is either 90 degrees ahead of or behind the pair.
Every time Io and Ganymede are lined up on the same side of Jupiter, Europa is either 60 degrees ahead of or behind the pair, or 180 degrees away on the opposite side of Jupiter.
Every time Europa and Ganymede are lined up on the same side of Jupiter, Io is always on the opposite side, 180 degrees away.
The simulation galilean.gsim shows Jupiter's Galilean moons locked in these resonances. The initial starting conditions were obtained using data from JPL's Horizons Ephemeris Computation Service.
Download galilean.gsim
(You need to have the program Gravity Simulator installed on your computer first. Click Here to download Gravity Simulator.)
|
|
