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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Science
Ian Sample Science editor

Jupiter’s moon Ganymede was struck by asteroid bigger than dinosaur-killing rock

Ganymede Jupiter Earth Mercury Solar System
Small mauve moon next to swirling planetary mass
A 3D rendering of Jupiter and its moon Ganymede, which at more than 3,000 miles wide is bigger than Mercury. Photograph: ManuelMata/Alamy

The largest moon in the solar system was struck by an ancient asteroid 20 times bigger than the rock that clattered into Earth and ended the reign of the dinosaurs 66m years ago, research suggests.

The devastating impact took place 4bn years ago and caused Ganymede, one of nearly 100 known moons of Jupiter, to spin around such that the impact crater faces almost directly away from the gas giant.

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