Juno’s low-resolution in-orbit images of Jupiter and three of its largest moons — Europa, Io, and Ganymede — have made their way back to Earth. The first high-resolution images are still several weeks away.
This color view from NASA’s Juno spacecraft shows atmospheric features on Jupiter, including the Great Red Spot. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SwRI / MSSS.
NASA’s Juno orbiter took these images on July 10, 2016, from about 2.7 million miles (4.3 million km) away.
“Juno survived its first pass through Jupiter’s extreme radiation environment without any degradation and is ready to take on Jupiter,” said Juno principal investigator Dr. Scott Bolton, from the Southwest Research Institute.
“We can’t wait to see the first view of Jupiter’s poles,” he added.
The new images were taken by the JunoCam, a visible-light camera/telescope designed to acquire the best pictures ever taken of Jupiter’s polar regions.
But this instrument has another purpose – to involve the world in planning and processing images, carrying out steps the Juno science team would ordinarily do.
“This is really the public’s camera. We are hoping students and whole classrooms will get involved and join our team,” Dr. Bolton said.
“JunoCam will continue to take images as we go around in this first orbit,” said Juno co-investigator Dr. Candy Hansen, from the Planetary Science Institute.
“The first high-resolution images of the planet will be taken on August 27 when Juno makes its next close pass to Jupiter.”
This view is made from some of the first images taken by the JunoCam after the spacecraft entered orbit around Jupiter on July 4th. Image credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SwRI / MSSS.
Juno arrived at Jupiter on July 4, 2016, to study the giant planet for two years.
During its mission of exploration, the spacecraft will circle the gas giant 37 times, soaring low over the planet’s cloud tops — as close as about 2,600 miles (4,100 km). If Jupiter were the size of a basketball, the equivalent distance would be only one-third of an inch (about 0.8 cm).
During these flybys, Juno will probe beneath the obscuring cloud cover of Jupiter and study its auroras to learn more about the planet’s origins, structure, atmosphere and magnetosphere.
