Gaea is an
impact crater on
Amalthea, one of the small
moons of
Jupiter. It is 75 km wide and at least 10–20 km deep.[1] Its center coordinates are -80°S, 90°W.[2] One of two named craters on Amalthea (the other being
Pan[3]), it is named after the
Greek goddessGaia.[2]
One third of Gaea's interior is covered by a bright spot, the largest on Amalthea.[1] Its brightness is at least 2.3 times greater than the area outside the crater. It is about 25 km wide and appears to extend beyond the crater.[3]
Gaea is near Amalthea's south pole, far south from the moon's other bright areas,
Lyctos Facula and
Ida Facula, which are on the slopes of a prominent
mountain elongated along the meridian.