Cloud Swirls around Southern Jupiter from Juno
Explanation:
Juno just completed its fourth pass near Jupiter.
Launched from Earth in 2011 and arriving at
Jupiter just last July,
robotic Juno concluded its latest
elliptical orbit around
our
Solar System's largest planet
11 days ago.
Pictured
here from that pass is a new
high-resolution image
of the southern hemisphere of Jupiter featuring a
mesmerizing tapestry of
swirling cloud systems.
The
terminator
between day and night cuts diagonally across the bottom,
meaning that the Sun is positioned off the top right.
Large Oval BA is visible in orange on the far right.
Reasons for the details and
colors of Jupiter's cloud swirls are currently unknown.
Juno
planned six year mission will study Jovian giant in new ways,
including trying to determine if beneath its thick clouds, Jupiter has a solid core.
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.
