Jupiter Eyes Ganymede
Explanation:
Who keeps an eye
on the largest moon in the
Solar System?
This moon, visible on the lower right, is
Ganymede, and the planet it orbits,
Jupiter,
seems to be keeping a watchful eye, as its
Great Red Spot
appears serendipitously nearby.
This recently released enhanced-contrast image from the
robot spacecraft Cassini captures new details of the
incredible intricacies of
Jupiter's complex cloud patterns.
Features as small as 250 kilometers can be seen.
Counter-clockwise rotating high-pressure
white ovals that are similar to the
Great Red Spot
appear in the red band below the spot.
Between these spots are darker
low-pressure systems that rotate clockwise.
The
hydrogen and
helium that compose most of
Jupiter's clouds is nearly invisible -
the trace chemicals that give Jupiter these colors
remain unknown.
The
Cassini spacecraft is using
Jupiter to
pull it toward
Saturn, where it is
scheduled to arrive in 2004.
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.
