What is the approximate orbital period of Europa, the moon likely possessing a subsurface ocean?
Answer
3.55 Earth days
Europa, one of Jupiter's four largest satellites, is distinctively noted for the probability that it harbors a subsurface ocean beneath its icy surface. The orbital data provided places its period of revolution around Jupiter at approximately 3.55 Earth days. This places its speed between the very rapid orbit of Io (1.77 days) and the slower orbit of Ganymede (7.15 days), illustrating the tight clustering of orbital periods for these inner Galilean moons.
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