Ganymede, Jupiter's largest moon, has a diameter of 5,268 kilometers — surpassing Mercury’s 4,879 kilometers — it possesses about half the mass of Mercury and has a density of 1.936 grams per cubic centimeter compared to Mercury's 5.427 g/cm³.
Observations suggest that Ganymede formed in a protoplanetary disk richer in lighter elements, which explains its lower density compared to Mercury, which likely accreted more refractory (heavier) elements closer to the Sun. This indicates a correlation between distance from the central star and the composition of the protoplanetary disk during planetary formation.
Ganymede's internal structure is layered and partly dynamic. Its composition is roughly half ice and half silicate rock, organized in differentiated layers including a metallic core, a rocky mantle, and an ice shell. Jupiter's strong gravitational pull significantly influences this internal structure, observed by spacecraft like Galileo.
iGadgetPro
Ganymede, Jupiter's largest moon, has a diameter of 5,268 kilometers — surpassing Mercury’s 4,879 kilometers — it possesses about half the mass of Mercury and has a density of 1.936 grams per cubic centimeter compared to Mercury's 5.427 g/cm³.
Observations suggest that Ganymede formed in a protoplanetary disk richer in lighter elements, which explains its lower density compared to Mercury, which likely accreted more refractory (heavier) elements closer to the Sun. This indicates a correlation between distance from the central star and the composition of the protoplanetary disk during planetary formation.
Ganymede's internal structure is layered and partly dynamic. Its composition is roughly half ice and half silicate rock, organized in differentiated layers including a metallic core, a rocky mantle, and an ice shell. Jupiter's strong gravitational pull significantly influences this internal structure, observed by spacecraft like Galileo.
Visualisation of Ganymede — by iGadgetPro
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