We previously talked about Jupiter’s moon Ganymede, but today it’s back in the news!
This moon discovered by Galileo made the front page of The Guardian.
This is huge news! Did any astronomers have their telescopes trained on Ganymede to capture this cataclysmic event?
Well, it looks like The Guardian may have buried the lead:
Still, pretty interesting….
According to computer models, the asteroid was most likely 185 miles across and struck at an angle of 60-90 degrees. The impact created an initial crater up to 1,000 miles wide that was partly filled in as rock and dust knocked out by the collision fell back down.
Ganymede, or Jupiter III, is the largest and most massive natural satellite of Jupiter and in the Solar System. It is the largest Solar System object without a substantial atmosphere, despite being the only moon in the Solar System with a substantial magnetic field. Like Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, it is larger than the planet Mercury, but has somewhat less surface gravity than Mercury, Io, or the Moon due to its lower density compared to the three.
Ganymede is composed of silicate rock and water in approximately equal proportions. It is a fully differentiated body with an iron-rich, liquid core, and an internal ocean that potentially contains more water than all of Earth’s oceans combined. Its surface is composed of two main types of terrain.
[Ganymede’s] name was soon suggested by astronomer Simon Marius, after the mythological Ganymede, a Trojan prince desired by Zeus (the Greek counterpart of Jupiter), who carried him off [on the back of an eagle] to be the cupbearer of the gods.
Size comparison of Earth, the Moon (top left), and Ganymede (bottom left)
By Apollo 17 Picture of the Whole Earth: NASATelescopic Image of the Full Moon: Gregory H. ReveraComputer-enhanced image of Ganymede: NASA/JPL/DLR – The Earth seen from Apollo 17.jpgFullMoon2010.jpgGanymede, moon of Jupiter, NASA.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39083703
Ganymede
By NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill – Ganymede – Perijove 34 Composite, CC BY 2.0
Tros Crater
By NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill – Tros Crater, Ganymede – PJ34-1 – Detail – Map Projected, CC BY 2.0
Ganymede from Pioneer 10 (1973)
By NASA Ames Resarch Center (NASA-ARC) – NIX AC73-9279, Public Domain
By Kelvinsong – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=31404095
Look at the vast saltwater ocean!
Tools to Help Visualize the Stuff in the Solar System
(top left, clockwise) By Cmglee – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, By Das steinerne Herz, translation by Szczureq – File:Sun vs planets.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0 By Das steinerne Herz, translation by Szczureq – File:Masses of the planets.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0 By Das steinerne Herz, translation by Szczureq – File:Masses of Solid Solar System bodies.svg, CC BY-SA 3.0
The big guy. 343 km (Approximately the driving distance from College Station, Tx to Rising Star, Tx)
Epigeus is a name rooted in Greek mythology, though it’s a less commonly known figure. The name “Epigeus” translates to “earth-born” or “of the earth,” and it’s typically associated with beings or heroes who are connected to the earth or possess earthy qualities.
Anzu
210 km (Approximate absolute distance from College Station to Nixon, Tx)
Anzu is a fascinating figure from Sumerian mythology, often depicted as a gigantic lion-headed bird, and is sometimes referred to as the Sumerian version of a thunderbird. Anzu is a powerful and fearsome creature, known for stealing the Tablet of Destinies, a divine artifact that grants its holder supreme authority over the universe.
In the myth, Anzu’s theft of the Tablet causes chaos among the gods, as whoever possesses the Tablet has the power to control the fate of all beings. The hero Ninurta is eventually tasked with retrieving the Tablet from Anzu, leading to a dramatic battle. Anzu, with his fierce appearance and terrifying power, represents the raw, untamed forces of nature, particularly storms and lightning, much like the thunderbird in other cultures.
Elder G
Nidaba
199 km (Approximate driving distance from College Station to Copperas Cove, Tx)
Nidaba, also known as Nisaba, was a Sumerian goddess who was originally associated with grain, but became associated with writing and accounting as Mesopotamian culture developed.
Ninki
194 km (Approximate driving distance from College Station, Tx, to Mound Prairie, Tx)
Ninki was the consort to Ea, Babylonian god of water.
Damkina
190km (The approximate driving distance from College Stations to Shiner, with a stop in Giddings.)
Damkina is the Babylonian sky and health deity, queen of the gods, and mother of Marduk in some accounts.
Cup Bearer of the Gods
Since WLBOTT is being published under the Texas regime, we won’t discuss Jupiter’s relationship with his special friend, the handsome Trojan prince Ganymede.
However, Elder G helps us visualize the “cupbearer” aspect.
The ancient myth has Ganymede being carried off by Jupiter in the form of an eagle, but our research suggests a large chicken.
The Cup Bearers of WLBOTT
So the Roman gods had cup bearers. This begs the question: Why doesn’t WLBOTT have cup bearers?
WLBOTT is seeking unpaid interns for the role of corporate cupbearer.
We published the following classified in several newspapers, including The Workers’ Ball and Twine, The Battalion, and The Deadly Texan.
