However, Amalthea’s dimensions are quite modest. Its long axis extends up to 250 kilometers, while the narrowest point extends only up to 128 kilometers. Scientists believe that this moon of Jupiter looks like a potato and is more like a pile of rubble than a solid rock.
Juno spacecraft captured Amalthea on March 7. It was then passing close to Jupiter for the 59th time. It can be seen in the picture that Jupiter’s moon appears like a black dot in front of Jupiter. According to the report, Amalthea was about 1 lakh 81 thousand km above Jupiter’s clouds.
The Great Red Spot near which it was spotted is a giant anticyclonic storm on Jupiter and covers an area of 12,500 km. Amalthea revolves around Jupiter very fast. It takes only 0.5 Earth days to revolve once around its planet.
Scientists consider it mysterious
Scientists consider Amalthea to be mysterious. They believe that this moon emits more heat than it receives from the Sun. It is not yet known where that heat is coming from. One theory is that the heat comes directly and indirectly from Jupiter.