Europe is Jupiter's sixth natural satellite in increasing order of distance and the smallest of the four Galilean satellites. It was discovered in 1610 by Galileo Galilei and was given its name by Europe, mother of King Minos of Crete and lover of Zeus. Simon Marius suggested the name after its discovery, but this name, as well as the name of the other Galilean satellites, was not in common use until the middle of the 20th century. It is the sixth largest satellite in the Solar System. Europa has the smoothest surface of any known object in the Solar System and is believed to be made of water ice. Beneath this solid crust, it is believed that there could be an ocean of liquid water that could have ideal conditions to support life, albeit in extreme form.
