Juno Approaching Jupiter
Explanation:
Approaching over the north pole after nearly a five-year journey,
Juno enjoys a
perspective on Jupiter not often seen, even by spacecraft
from Earth that usually swing by closer to Jupiter's equator.
Looking down toward the ruling gas giant from a distance
of 10.9 million kilometers, the spacecraft's
JunoCam
captured this image with Jupiter's nightside and
orbiting entourage of four large Galilean moons on June 21.
JunoCam is intended
to provide close-up views
of the gas giant's cloudy
zoned
and belted atmosphere and on July 4 (July 5 UT)
Juno is set to burn its main engine to slow down and be captured into
its own orbit.
If all goes well, it will be the first spacecraft to orbit the
poles of Jupiter, skimming to within 5,000 kilometers of
the Jovian cloud tops during the 20 month mission.
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.
