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Callisto,
a Continuing Story of Discovery

Table of Contents

• Overview of Callisto Facts
• Latest Callisto Science Findings
• Callisto Images
• Missions Exploring Callisto
• Educational Activities and Resources
• The Mythology of Jupiter and Its Satellites
• The Discovery of the Galilean Satellites
• Frequently asked Questions (FAQs) about Callisto
• Resources
• Links to Related Sites

Overview of Callisto Facts

 
Discovery:                             Jan 7, 1610 by Galileo Galilei
Diameter (km):                         4,806 
Mass (kg):                             1.077e23
Mass (Earth = 1)                       1.807e-02
Surface Gravity (Earth = 1):           0.127 
Mean Distance from Jupiter (km):       1,883,000 
Mean Distance From Jupiter (Rj):       26.6 
Mean Distance from Sun (AU):           5.203 
Orbital period (days):                 16.68902 
Rotational period  (days):             16.68902 
Density (gm/cm?3)                      1.86 
Orbit Eccentricity:                    0.007 
Orbit Inclination (degrees):           0.281 
Orbit Speed (km/sec):                  8.21 
Escape velocity (km/sec):              2.45 
Visual Albedo:                         0.19
Subsolar Temperature (K)               168
Equatorial Subsurface Temperature (K)  126
Surface Composition:                   Dirty Ice 


A Summary of Facts about Callisto

Latest Callisto Science Findings

• Jupiter's Moon Callisto May Hide Salty Ocean (October 21, 1998)
• Galileo Mission Finds Strange Interior of Callisto (June 4, 1998)
• Galileo Returns New Insights into Callisto and Europa (May 23, 1997)

Surface Composition

• New Jupiter Findings: Oxygen at Callisto's Surface, Sulfur Dioxide Sources at Io (December 10, 1997)

Frequently Asked Questions about Callisto

Callisto Images

• Galileo Images
  • Global Clickable Maps (Organized by location)
  • Image Tables Organized by Features and Orbit
• Bulletin Boards and Stickers
• Galileo at Jupiter Educator's Slide Set, Volume 2
• Images from Other missions
  • Voyager
  • Hubble Space Telescope
  • Pioneer 11
• Animation of the Jovian System as Viewed From Earth (Java Applet)
• Callisto Flyby Animations (computer generated)
  Look here for information on how to setup your browser for animations.
  • Callisto 3 Flyby (November 4, 1996).
  • Callisto 9 Flyby (June 25, 1997).
  • Callisto 10 Flyby (September 17, 1997).
  • Callisto 20 Flyby (May 9, 1999).
  • Callisto 21 Flyby (June 30, 1999).
  • Callisto 22 Flyby (August 14, 1999).
  • Callisto 23 Flyby (September 16, 1999).
• Callisto Doppler Plots
  • Callisto 9 Flyby (June 25, 1997).
  • Callisto 10 Flyby (September 17, 1997).

• Galileo Europa Mission (GEM): Dec. 1997 - Dec. 1999
• Previous Galileo Orbits
• Galileo Nominal Mission: Dec. 1995 - Dec. 1997

Educational Activities and Resources

• Activities:
  • Planets and Satellites (Overview of our solar system and the Jovian system)
  • Planetary Surfaces
  • More activities
• Galileo K-12 Educator's Resources
• Bulletin Boards and Stickers
• The Jovian system as viewed from Earth (Java Applet)
• Frequently Asked Questions about Callisto

The Mythology of Jupiter and it's Satellites

USGS Callisto Nomenclature page

The Discovery of the Galilean Satellites

Frequently asked Questions (FAQs)