Worlds apart

Europa vs Moon

What are they, and what does the difference actually look like?

Two things. One honest scale.

Meet the pair

What these two things are

Europa

Europa is a natural satellite of Jupiter, with a smooth icy surface thought to cover a subsurface ocean.

3,122 kmMean diameter

Moon

The Moon is Earth’s natural satellite and the brightest large object in Earth’s night sky.

3,475 kmMean diameter

Moon has about 1.11 times the mean diameter of Europa.

True scale
01
Europa3,122 kmMean diameter
02
Moon3,475 kmMean diameter
Both marked spans share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its proportions; poses and surface detail are illustrative.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +

Europa

Rounded mean-radius model of Europa. The derived area and volume describe a sphere; surface terrain and flattening are omitted.

NASA JPL — Planetary satellite physical parameters

The marked mean diameter is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.

Moon

Rounded mean-radius model of Moon. The derived area and volume describe a sphere; surface terrain and flattening are omitted.

NASA JPL — Planetary satellite physical parameters

The marked mean diameter is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.

Change the comparison

Put something else beside it.

Measurement details

Why these numbers?

The visual compares mean diameter with mean diameter. The records below preserve each value’s basis and caveats.

Europa

3,122 km

Mean diameter · approximate

Rounded mean-radius model of Europa. The derived area and volume describe a sphere; surface terrain and flattening are omitted.

Moon

3,475 km

Mean diameter · approximate

Rounded mean-radius model of Moon. The derived area and volume describe a sphere; surface terrain and flattening are omitted.

Comparing
Mean diameter ↔ Mean diameter
Relative size
Moon is larger on this measurement by a factor of about 1.11. Moon's selected measurement is approximately 11.3% greater than Europa's.

How to read the visual

The labelled spans and stored measurements determine the scale; unmeasured illustration details do not.

  • Europa is labelled approximate; treat the displayed value as a comparison anchor rather than false precision.
  • Moon is labelled approximate; treat the displayed value as a comparison anchor rather than false precision.

There’s always another scale

Follow your curiosity.

Explore things ↗

Side by side

Another point of view.

All comparisons ↗

Share a little perspective.