Which sentence best states the central idea of the passage? Many Moons
adapted from NASA
Jupiter is the most massive planet in our solar system and has an enormous magnetic field. (1.With four large moons and many smaller
moons, Jupiter forms a kind of miniature solar system.)Newly discovered moons of Jupiter are reported by astronomers and
acknowledged with a temporary designation by the International Astronomical Union. Once their orbits are confirmed they are included
in Jupiter's large moon count Not including the "temporary" moons, Jupiter has 53 total!
Jupiter's four largest moons-lo, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto-were first observed by the astronomer Galileo Galilei in 1610
using an early version of the telescope. These four moons are known today as the Galilean satellites. Galileo would be astonished at
what we have learned about these moons, largely from the NASA mission named for him: lo is the most volcanically active body in the
solar system; Ganymede is the largest moon in the solar system and the only moon known to have its own magnetic field; and a liquid-
water ocean with the ingredients for life may lie beneath the frozen crust of Europa, making it a tempting place to explore.