Ganymede

Staring up, at the night sky, I can see Jupiter – a mere speck of light. Jupiter is only distinguishable from the other stars in the night sky by the fact that it does not sparkle. Yet I know that this small spark of light is actually a world by itself – a gas giant so big that no human probes have ever reached its center. And, just a few thousand miles above the surface of this gas, another world revolves around it – the satellite called Ganymede.

Ganymede is amongst the four satellites of Jupiter that are nearest the planet. Apart from these four satellites, there are another eight, less formidable satellites. Throughout the history of the solar systems, this satellite system has retained its awesomeness. Ganymede is relatively docile amongst Jupiter’s satellites. It happens to be in just the right distance from the giant, and to be rotating in just the right momentum, to counter the fierce gravitational pull that would otherwise tear it apart, or leave it in an electrostatic flux state, like Lo, another satellite in the neighborhood.

The daylight temperatures on the surface of Ganymede are well below freezing point on earth. Night-time temperatures dip even lower. No terrestrial life can survive here. Yet although this world remains sterile to life as we know it, it still retains its majestic beauty. Out there, in the great, vast gulf of deep space, the satellite continues on its circular march around its giant mother – a spherical knight doing the rounds around the one eyed gas king. In a sense, Ganymede is keeping vigil on the gas king.

Such thoughts tumble through my mind – that millions of miles away from our watery planet, lie another world, made mostly of gases, yet commanding 12 solid worlds around it. And one of them, called Ganymede, has retained its mysterious nature just as well as it has retained its satellite loop around the gaseous planet.
Mysteries in deep space. Forever kept away from our prying eyes by millions of kilometers of deep space. I sigh. Oh well, maybe one time, we will crack the time-warp code, and travel through hyperspace. Then will the entire universe open up before our eyes, in all its glory… and all the attendant awesomeness.