Space

Juno’s look at Jupiter’s swirling clouds

View larger | Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Kevin M. Gill.

NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured this image during its 11th close flyby of planet Jupiter on February 7, 2018. The image shows swirling cloud formations in the northern area of the planet’s north temperate belt.

At the time the image was taken, the spacecraft was about 5,086 miles (8,186 km) from the tops of the clouds of the planet, at a latitude of 39.9 degrees.

Citizen scientist Kevin M. Gill processed this image using data from the JunoCam imager. Want to process an image yourself? JunoCam’s raw images are available for the public to peruse and process into image products here.

The Juno mission was launched August 5, 2011, and arrived at Jupiter on July 4, 2016. The goal of the mission is to understand the origin and evolution of Jupiter, look for a solid planetary core, map the planet’s magnetic field, measure water and ammonia in deep atmosphere, and observe auroras. More EarthSky stories about Juno at Jupiter.

See larger image.

Bottom line: Image of Jupiter from Juno’s 11th close flyby.

Read more from NASA

Posted 
February 21, 2018
 in 
Space

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