Jupiter's Auroras
Explanation:
Auroras are especially large on Jupiter.
In
pictures
released
yesterday, the
Hubble Space Telescope
imaged these unusual light displays in more detail than ever before.
Jupiter's
auroras
are linked to its volcanic moon
Io.
Io's volcanoes release particles,
some of which become ionized, trapped by
Jupiter's
magnetic field, and rain down on the gas giant. The resulting
auroral displays may be thousands
of times brighter than any
auroral
display on Earth,
and involve unusual spots. The
above pictures
show how the extended auroral emissions rotate with Jupiter, while
the auroral spots stay synchronized to Io as it circles Jupiter.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
