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NASA’s Juno spacecraft is preparing to jump Jupiter’s shadow to preserve itself.(Image credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SWRI)While readying itself to jump Jupiter’s shadow, NASA’s Juno spacecraft continues to capture the beauty of our distant, gaseous neighbor. Juno launched in 2011 with the explicit purpose of imaging and collecting data on Jupiter so that scientists back on Earth could better piece together its evolution and origins. The probe has been traveling around the planet at about 384 miles per hour (618 kilometers/h) since it arrived and completed orbit insertion in 2016, and will continue to do so until it deorbits towards Jupiter in July 2021. Of the many instruments onboard the craft, the JunoCam camera is the favorite of many who follow the mission. The camera/telescope has captured seemingly endless images of Jupiter’s swirling beauty. Related: Jupiter’s Great Red Spot in PicturesBelow, you can check out images that Juno has captured, including Jovian jet streams, Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, swirling clouds and more:Image 1 of 5In this image of Jupiter, you can see a jet stream region on the planet’s upper hemisphere known as “Jet N3.” The region is rich with colorful, swirling patterns. This image was created by citizen scientist Gerald Eichstädt from a raw image taken on May 29, 2019.(Image credit: Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS Image processing by Gerald Eichstädt)Image 2 of 5A dark-centered vortex in a jet stream on Jupiter can be seen alongside high-altitude clouds in this Juno image. This color-enhanced image was originally taken on May 29, 2019 and has since been finalized and named by citizen scientists Gerald Eichstädt and Seán Doran.(Image credit: Enhanced Image by Gerald Eichstädt and Sean Doran (CC BY-NC-SA) based on images provided Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS)Image 3 of 5This image showcases the contrast between the colorful South Equatorial Belt and the white Southern Tropical Zone on Jupiter. In this white region you can also easily spot the Great Red Spot. This image was created by citizen scientist Kevin M. Gill from a raw image taken on July 20, 2019. (Image credit: Image data: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS Image processing by Kevin M. Gill, licensed under CC by 3.0)Image 4 of 5
