Jupiter's moons in fiction

Galilean moons of Jupiter

Jupiter's extensive system of natural satellites – in particular the four large Galilean moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto) – has been a common science fiction setting.

Satellite system

Some references in fiction focus on more than one moon, or do not refer to a specific moon.

Literature

Film and television

Games

Io

Io

Io is the closest of the Galilean satellites to Jupiter. It is almost the same size as the Moon. Because of its position, it is subject to constant tidal flexing and heavy radiation from Jupiter's magnetic field. Since 1979, it has also been known for its abundant volcanism.

Literature

Art

Film and television

Comics

Games

Music

Radio

Europa

Europa

Europa is the smallest of the four Galilean satellites and the second closest to Jupiter. It is theorized to have an ocean of liquid water underneath its icy surface; the thickness of the ice is much debated. The probable presence of the water ocean has made it a favored location for modern fictional speculation about extraterrestrial life in the Solar System.

Literature

Art

Film and television

Games

Music

Ganymede

Ganymede

Ganymede is the third of the Galilean moons from Jupiter. It is the largest moon in the Solar System, bigger than the planet Mercury (though less massive), almost 52% larger than the diameter of the Moon and with twice its mass. It is 77% the diameter of Mars. Ganymede's size made it a popular location for early science fiction authors looking for locations beyond Mars that might be inhabitable by humans. In reality, Ganymede is a cold, icy, cratered world with a vanishingly thin atmosphere.

Literature

Art

Film and television

Games

Callisto

Callisto

Callisto is the outermost of the Galilean satellites. It is a large moon, only slightly smaller than the planet Mercury. It is cold, icy, and heavily cratered, with a very tenuous atmosphere. Despite its size and early discovery, it has not been featured in fiction as much as the other Galilean satellites.

Literature

Comics/Manga

Art

Film and television

Games

Music

Other moons

Amalthea

Two views of Amalthea

Amalthea, or Jupiter V, is the third moon from Jupiter and the largest of the inner satellites of Jupiter.

Pasiphae

Pasiphae (Jupiter VIII) is used as a setting in John Varley's novel The Ophiuchi Hotline, though it is referred to by its pre-1975 name, Poseidon.

Sinope

Sinope, or Jupiter IX, is a small irregular satellite of Jupiter. From the time of its discovery in 1914 until the discovery of Megaclite in 2000, it was the outermost of Jupiter's known moons. It is still the most distant Jovian moon to have a diameter of more than 10 km.

Other

See also

References

  1. Haldeman, Joe (2004). Camouflage. New York: Ace Books. p. 172. ISBN 0-441-01161-6.
  2. Benford, Gregory (2011). "Terraforming Ganymede with Robert A. Heinlein". Baen. Retrieved August 2, 2014. Io, the pizza planet...
  3. Paul, Frank R. "Bibliography: Crystallis, Glass City of Io". Internet Speculative Fiction Database. Retrieved August 2, 2014.
  4. "Outlaws of Europa". Greyforest.com. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
  5. "G - Heinlein Concordance". Heinleinsociety.org. 2003-02-09. Retrieved 2011-05-15.
  6. ISBN 0-688-10822-9 and ISBN 0-380-71876-6
  7. McCarthy, Will. Bloom. New York: Ballantine Del Rey Books, 1998.
  8. Episode "Hard Luck Woman"
  9. Soule, Charles (2015). Redshift. Letter 44 2. Art by Alberto Jiménez Alburquerque. Portland, Oregon: Oni Press. ISBN 978-1-62010-206-0.
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