Question: Which planet has a moon named after a continent on Earth?
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Jupiter has a moon called Europa.
Europa is one of the largest of Jupiter’s 79 known moons and is slightly smaller than Earth’s moon. It is one of the four Galilean moons, named after the astronomer Galileo Galilei who discovered them in 1610.
Europa is noted for its smooth and bright surface, which is primarily made of water ice. It is believed to have an iron core and a rocky mantle, similar to the terrestrial planets. However, one of the most intriguing features of Europa is its subsurface ocean.
Europa’s surface is crisscrossed by lines and cracks, which scientists think are caused by the tidal forces generated by Jupiter’s powerful gravity. These lines and the overall smoothness of the surface suggest the existence of a global ocean beneath the icy crust, kept warm by these tidal forces.
