[Europa's diameter: ~1,950 miles. Smallest discernable feature: 8.6 miles across.]

Torn by a Tug-of-War

Even from a distance of 418,000 miles, the face of Europa is severely scarred. Flexing of the crust, caused by the gravitational tug-of-war with Jupiter and its other moons, results in giant fractures that run for thousands of miles across the surface. Deformation comes from other sources, as well. Bright lines of ejected ice radiate from one of Europa's largest impact sites, Pwyll crater (lower right). Extended Caption