How much faster does the innermost Galilean moon, Io, complete its orbit compared to Callisto?
Answer
Nearly ten times faster
The striking difference in orbital speeds between the innermost and outermost large moons provides a clear demonstration of orbital mechanics principles in action. Io, with its short orbital period of about 1.77 Earth days, travels around Jupiter at a significantly higher velocity than Callisto, which requires nearly 16.69 Earth days to complete one circuit. This vast difference means that Io completes its orbit almost ten times faster than Callisto completes a single revolution around the giant planet.
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