Space Time logo Space Time
Moon · evidence and sources

Europa

Jupiter's second Galilean moon. Has a subsurface ocean that may harbor life.

astronomy-engine Position basis, the same label the app shows on the selection card.

Open in Space Time

Every aspect, with its origin

One record per aspect. The origin says what kind of thing each value is; the source says where it came from; the limit says what it cannot tell you.

ObservedCatalogComputedReconstructedIllustrativeUndocumented
Position Computed

Position for the simulation time

Europa's position is computed for the simulation instant by astronomy-engine, an analytic ephemeris model. There is no snapshot to age: the same code gives the same answer for any date.

Methodastronomy-engine (analytic planetary and lunar model; Sun through Pluto and the Moon)
UncertaintyRoughly arcminute-level against JPL ephemerides for 1700 to 2200; fixture tests compare selected dates with Horizons.
LimitPositions in the 3D scene are heliocentric J2000 equatorial coordinates; observer-facing tables are apparent, of date, and topocentric (see the frame statements).
Physical data Undocumented

Bulk properties

Europa: mean radius 1,560.8 km. These values are bundled with the object record and drive the rendered size.

SourceBundled object record
LimitThe object catalog does not record where these values came from; treat them as unverified until the record is completed.
Appearance Reconstructed

Voyager / Galileo mosaic

Grayscale spacecraft imagery of the ice shell, with differing resolution and small coverage gaps. The ocean is inferred, not visible.

MethodThis describes the displayed appearance only; it does not certify catalog dimensions, orbital elements or unobserved geology.
Description Undocumented

Description and facts

The short description and the fact list are written by the Space Time authors for orientation. They are not quoted from a catalog field and carry no citation of their own.

SourceSpace Time editorial text
LimitBackground reading is linked under Further reading; it is not the source of the displayed numbers.

Engine and frame

  • Engine: astronomy-engine (analytic planetary and lunar model; Sun through Pluto and the Moon)
  • Frame (3D scene): heliocentric J2000 equatorial positions from astronomy-engine, rotated into the scene's ecliptic basis
  • Frame (tables): RA/Dec are apparent, of date (true equator and equinox of the instant), with annual aberration applied; not J2000
  • Origin: topocentric for the chosen observer (distance is observer-to-body, not geocentric)
  • Refraction: altitude includes standard atmospheric refraction (astronomy-engine "normal" model); azimuth is unaffected
  • Magnitude: astronomy-engine Illumination(): phase-dependent planetary magnitudes (Mercury and Venus per Hilton 2005), Saturn includes ring tilt, Moon and Sun use its built-in curves; no atmospheric extinction
  • Size: angular diameter from IAU equatorial radii and the topocentric distance
  • Constellation: IAU boundaries evaluated on the position precessed back to J2000

What is not measured

  • Appearance: a reconstruction from measurements, not a direct observation. Voyager / Galileo mosaic. Grayscale spacecraft imagery of the ice shell, with differing resolution and small coverage gaps. The ocean is inferred, not visible.

Not yet documented

  • Physical data: The object catalog does not record where these values came from; treat them as unverified until the record is completed.
  • Description: Background reading is linked under Further reading; it is not the source of the displayed numbers.

Dataset freshness

Snapshots this page depends on, read from the generated manifests at request time.
DatasetLast refreshedHorizonAutomated
Sun, Moon and planet positions no snapshot date Valid roughly 1700 to 2200 at arcminute level; no snapshot to age Not applicable (analytic model)
npm dependency

Sources cited

Further reading

Wikipedia: Europa (background only; not the source of the displayed numbers)

More