Juno is out there in space studying the atmosphere and magnetic field of Jupiter, among other things, so we can get a better understanding of the composition and behavior of the largest planet in our solar system.
While it does that however, you can bet your behind that NASA is taking advantage of the opportunity to get some amazing close-up photographs with JunoCam.
NASA has released a close-up photograph of Jupiter's North Pole on August 27th from 48,000 miles above the planet's clouds. It has been taken by the Juno spacecraft's onboard imaging device.
Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS
The photograph outlines some of the unique features of Jupiter's clouds. Among those are some interesting 'pinwheel' effects, as NASA calls them, occuring just in the cloud formations in the planet's cloud systems.
One of the things NASA says it's interested in learning more about are the effects that occur in the clouds just between the boundaries of day and night.
Others are interesting ovular shapes and deformities in the planet's atmosphere that give the planet it's unique color patterns.
NASA will have plenty of time in the future to study the dynamic clouds in the Jovian atmosphere. Juno will orbit Jupiter a total of 37 times in the next 20 months. After the mission ends, Juno will go on a suicide mission, raining down on the planet and meeting its demise.
It should be very interesting to see what other kinds of information NASA releases as a result of this mission.
Source:
NASA via
Business Insider
