It seems as though the internet can either be a blessing or a curse. While it can have a lot of stressful news, it can also be a source of fun. And this is true, especially during this difficult time. But, thanks to the internet, we can enjoy various websites as a distraction. There’s the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for instance. This website features has stunning photos of the cosmos. And, the latest series includes high definition photos of Jupiter, which were taken by the Juno spacecraft.
So, Juno is the second spacecraft to orbit Jupiter, next to Galileo which orbited from 1995 to 2003. Juno successfully entered the orbit of the gas giant in July 2016 and since then, it has been providing scientists with a better understanding of the largest planet in the solar system. Scroll down to see more of Jupiter’s breathtaking photos captured by the JunoCam, you won’t believe your eyes.
During the current crisis on Earth, NASA continues to unveil more undiscovered wonders of the universe. As a result we have these amazing photos to look at and enjoy.
Firstly, we have this breathtaking photo of Jupiter’s clouds.
High above Jupiter’s Clouds
“NASA’s Juno spacecraft was a little more than one Earth diameter from Jupiter when it captured this mind-bending, color-enhanced view of the planet’s tumultuous atmosphere.”
NASA’s Juno Spacecraft Has a Close Encounter with Jupiter
“A multitude of swirling clouds in Jupiter’s dynamic North North Temperate Belt is captured in this image from NASA’s Juno spacecraft. Appearing in the scene are several bright-white “pop-up” clouds as well as an anticyclonic storm, known as a white oval.”
Jovian ‘Twilight Zone’
“This image captures the swirling cloud formations around the south pole of Jupiter, looking up toward the equatorial region.”
Jupiter Blues
“See Jovian clouds in striking shades of blue in this new view taken by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.”
Deep Motion
“During its 24th close flyby of Jupiter, NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured this view of a chaotic, stormy area of the planet’s northern hemisphere known as a folded filamentary region. Jupiter has no solid surface in the same way Earth does. Data collected by Juno indicate that some of the giant planet’s winds run deeper and last longer than similar atmospheric processes on Earth.”
Moon Shadow
“Jupiter’s volcanically active moon Io casts its shadow on the planet in this dramatic image from NASA’s Juno spacecraft. As with solar eclipses on the Earth, within the dark circle racing across Jupiter’s cloud tops one would witness a full solar eclipse as Io passes in front of the Sun.”
High-Altitude Hazes on Jupiter
“NASA’s Juno mission captured this look at Jupiter’s tumultuous northern regions during the spacecraft’s close approach to the planet on Feb. 17, 2020.”
Jupiter Marble
“This striking view of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot and turbulent southern hemisphere was captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft as it performed a close pass of the gas giant planet.”
Juno’s Latest Flyby of Jupiter Captures Two Massive Storms
“This image of Jupiter’s turbulent southern hemisphere was captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft as it performed its most recent close flyby of the gas giant planet on Dec. 21, 2018.”
Jupiter’s Equator
“Thick white clouds are present in this JunoCam image of Jupiter’s equatorial zone. These clouds complicate the interpretation of infrared measurements of water. At microwave frequencies, the same clouds are transparent, allowing Juno’s Microwave Radiometer to measure water deep into Jupiter’s atmosphere. The image was acquired during Juno’s flyby of the gas giant on Dec. 16, 2017.”
Juno has been giving mankind a glimpse of Jupiter through stunning photos since 2016
Chaotic Clouds of Jupiter
“This image captures swirling cloud belts and tumultuous vortices within Jupiter’s northern hemisphere.”
Jupiter’s South Pole
“This image shows Jupiter’s south pole, as seen by NASA’s Juno spacecraft from an altitude of 32,000 miles (52,000 kilometers). The oval features are cyclones, up to 600 miles (1,000 kilometers) in diameter. Multiple images taken with the JunoCam instrument on three separate orbits were combined to show all areas in daylight, enhanced color, and stereographic projection.”
From High to Low
“This view from NASA’s Juno spacecraft captures colorful, intricate patterns in a jet stream region of Jupiter’s northern hemisphere known as ‘Jet N3.'”
And this photo looks so awesome to!
Jupiter Abyss
“NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured this view of an area within a Jovian jet stream showing a vortex that has an intensely dark center. Nearby, other features display bright, high altitude clouds that have puffed up into the sunlight.”
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, Spotted
“This image of Jupiter’s iconic Great Red Spot and surrounding turbulent zones was captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.”
Jupiter Storm of the High North
“A dynamic storm at the southern edge of Jupiter’s northern polar region dominates this Jovian cloudscape, courtesy of NASA’s Juno spacecraft.”
Jupiter’s Swirling South Pole
“This image of Jupiter’s swirling south polar region was captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft as it neared completion of its tenth close flyby of the gas giant planet.”
Jupiter’s Colorful Cloud Belts
“Colorful swirling cloud belts dominate Jupiter’s southern hemisphere in this image captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.”
Jupiter’s Stunning Southern Hemisphere
“See Jupiter’s southern hemisphere in beautiful detail in this new image taken by NASA’s Juno spacecraft. The color-enhanced view captures one of the white ovals in the ‘String of Pearls,’ one of eight massive rotating storms at 40 degrees south latitude on the gas giant planet.”
Jupiter Storms Merging
“This view of Jupiter’s atmosphere from NASA’s Juno spacecraft includes something remarkable: two storms caught in the act of merging.”
Jovian Tempest
“This color-enhanced image of a massive, raging storm in Jupiter’s northern hemisphere was captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft during its ninth close flyby of the gas giant planet.”
Intricate Clouds of Jupiter
“See intricate cloud patterns in the northern hemisphere of Jupiter in this new view taken by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.”
Dramatic Jupiter
“Dramatic atmospheric features in Jupiter’s northern hemisphere are captured in this view from NASA’s Juno spacecraft. The new perspective shows swirling clouds that surround a circular feature within a jet stream region called ‘Jet N6.'”
Dark and Stormy Jupiter
“This image captures the intensity of the jets and vortices in Jupiter’s North North Temperate Belt.”
Bright Clouds Dot Jupiter’s South Tropical Zone
“Small bright clouds dot Jupiter’s entire south tropical zone in this image acquired by JunoCam on NASA’s Juno spacecraft on May 19, 2017, at an altitude of 7,990 miles (12,858 kilometers). Although the bright clouds appear tiny in this vast Jovian cloudscape, they actually are cloud towers roughly 30 miles (50 kilometers) wide and 30 miles (50 kilometers) high that cast shadows on the clouds below. On Jupiter, clouds this high are almost certainly composed of water and/or ammonia ice, and they may be sources of lightning. This is the first time so many cloud towers have been visible, possibly because the late-afternoon lighting is particularly good at this geometry.”
On their own, NASA’s photos of Jupiter look like exquisite works of art
Jupiter’s North Equatorial Belt
“Colorful swirling clouds in Jupiter’s North Equatorial Belt practically fill this image from NASA’s Juno spacecraft. This is the closest image captured of the Jovian clouds during this recent flyby of the gas giant planet.”
Massive Beauty
“NASA’s Juno mission captured this look at the southern hemisphere of Jupiter on Feb. 17, 2020, during the spacecraft’s most recent close approach to the giant planet.”
Jupiter: A New Perspective
“This extraordinary view of Jupiter was captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft on the outbound leg of its 12th close flyby of the gas giant planet.”
Jupiter’s Swirling Cloud Formations
“See swirling cloud formations in the northern area of Jupiter’s north temperate belt in this new view taken by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.”
Finally, there is this amazing image of a white cloud on Jupiter.
Jovian White Oval
“A swirling, oval white cloud in Jupiter’s South South Temperate Belt is captured in this image from NASA’s Juno spacecraft. Known as White Oval A5, the feature is an anticyclonic storm. An anticyclone is a weather phenomenon where winds around the storm flow in the direction opposite to those of the flow around a region of low pressure.”
What’s your favorite photo of Jupiter so far? Let us know in the comments section below! We simply can’t decide because they all look amazing. Meanwhile, feel free to check out the full gallery here to see more of Jupiter’s mesmerizing photos. There are lots of other images and space related content to so make sure you take a look while visiting NASA’s website. Finally, if you like space, then check out more of our space articles. We have something for everyone from decor to cakes.
Source: NASA