NASA took a picture of the largest moon in our Solar system
Station OSIRIS-REx (Origins Spectral Interpretation Resource Identification Security Regolith Explorer) took a shot of Jupiter and three of its moons, including the largest moon in the Solar system — Ganymede. It is reported by NASA.
The two images obtained on 12 February 2017 at a distance of 122 million miles from Earth and 673 million kilometers from the gas giant. The photo Department of NASA combined them into one picture.
Ganymede is the largest planetary satellites. Most likely, the moon has hidden under a layer of ice pond.
According to the astrobiologists, this structure of the ocean on Ganymede can contribute to the creation of special conditions for the development of primitive forms of life on the satellite.
Booster Atlas V with the space station OSIRIS-REx was launched in September 2016 in Cape Canaveral. In 2018, the OSIRIS-REx reaches its target asteroid Bennu, a sample of which the descent capsule should fall to Earth in 2023.
The mission aims to clear up questions of planetary formation and the origin of life on Earth. In case of successful completion of the main program station OSIRIS-REx is planned to be used in other studies of the Solar system.