Europa, in astronomy
Europa (y
rō`pə), in astronomy, one of the 39 known moons, or natural satellites, of Jupiter Jupiter , in astronomy, 5th planet from the sun and largest planet of the solar system.
Astronomical and Physical CharacteristicsJupiter's orbit lies beyond the asteroid belt at a mean distance of 483.6 million mi (778.
..... Click the link for more information. . Magnetic-field data collected by the space probe Galileo in 2002 strongly indicates a liquid-water ocean—similar to oceans found on Earth and possibly capable of supporting simple life forms—beneath Europa's frozen surface.
Europa, in Greek mythology
Europa (yrō`pə), in Greek mythology, daughter of Agenor Agenor , in Greek mythology.1 King of Tyre, father of Cadmus and Europa. When Europa disappeared, Agenor sent Cadmus and his other sons in search of her.
2 Trojan hero, son of Antenor.
..... Click the link for more information. and Telephassa. Zeus, enamored of her, appeared as a white bull, enticed her to climb on his back, and swam off with her to Crete. There she bore him Minos Minos , in Greek mythology, king of Crete, son of Zeus and Europa. He was the husband of Pasiphaë, who bore him Androgeus, Glaucus, Ariadne, and Phaedra.
..... Click the link for more information. , Rhadamanthus Rhadamanthus , in Greek mythology, son of Zeus and Europa. Renowned for his justice on earth, the gods made him one of the judges of the dead.
..... Click the link for more information. , and Sarpedon Sarpedon , in Greek mythology, son of Zeus and Laodamia, who was the daughter of Bellerophon. In the Iliad, as an ally of the Trojans, Sarpedon courageously led the Lycians against the Greeks in the Trojan War.
..... Click the link for more information. . She married the king of Crete, who adopted her sons. After her death she was worshiped as a goddess in the festival of the Hellotia.
Europa
In Greek mythology, the daughter either of Phoenix or of Agenor, king of Phoenicia. Her beauty inspired the love of Zeus, who approached her in the form of a white bull and carried her off across the sea to Crete. After bearing Zeus three sons, she married the king of Crete, who adopted her sons. They grew up to become King Minos of Crete, King Rhadamanthus of the Cyclades, and Prince Sarpedon of Lycia. On Crete she was worshiped under the name Hellotis. The continent of Europe is named for her.
Europa [yu̇′rō·pə]
Europa
in ancient Greek mythology, the daughter of the Phoenician King Agenor; she was abducted and carried off to the island of Crete by Zeus, who had turned himself into a bull. The cult of Europa existed in Phoenicia and on Crete. The abduction of Europa is a frequent subject in the pictorial and plastic arts (Titian, Claude Lorraine, Guido Reni, and V. A. Serov).
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