Europa

Europa is a term with several distinct meanings in astronomy, mythology, and geography.

In astronomy, Europa is one of Jupiter’s Galilean moons. It was discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610 and is named after the mythological Europa. The moon has an icy crust and is believed to conceal a global subsurface ocean beneath. Its diameter is about 3,118 kilometers, and it orbits Jupiter at an average distance of roughly 670,900 kilometers, completing a 3.55-day orbit. The surface shows extensive fractures and ridges, and magnetic field data suggest a salty ocean beneath the ice. If present and accessible, this ocean could have implications for potential habitability. Plumes of water vapor have been suggested but not consistently confirmed. NASA’s Europa Clipper mission, planned for launch in the mid-2020s, aims to map the surface, study the ice shell and ocean, and assess whether Europa could support life.

In Greek mythology, Europa was a Phoenician princess, daughter of Agenor. According to the myth, she was abducted by Zeus, who had taken the form of a white bull, and carried to Crete, where she became queen and mother to Minos, Rhadamanthus, and Sarpedon. The figure of Europa is the origin for the name of the continent in many languages, and the term Europa is still used in several modern languages to refer to Europe.

In many languages the continent is called Europa (for example, German Europa, French Europe, Spanish Europa). In English, the naming convention uses Europe. The continent spans roughly from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Mediterranean and the Ural Mountains in the east and comprises numerous countries and regions with diverse cultures and histories.