An international team of scientists, including from India, has discovered strong evidence indicating the presence of ozone on Jupiter’s moon, Callisto.
The ozone molecule is composed of three oxygen atoms bonded together. The ozone layer, found in the lower part of the earth’s stratosphere, around 15–35 km above ground, serves as a shield.
Without the ozone layer, ultraviolet radiation levels would be much higher on the planet’s surface, rendering it uninhabitable for many species and disrupting entire ecosystems.
Scientists are currently studying various celestial bodies in the Solar System that show signs of ozone, suggesting the existence of stable atmospheric conditions and, by extension, the possibility of their being able to host life.
After Saturn, Jupiter has the most moons in the Solar System. Callisto is one of Jupiter’s largest moons and the third-largest moon in the Solar System after Ganymede and Titan.