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NASA releases close-up photos of Jupiter's Great Red Spot
Anybody who's taken a look at images of Jupiter has seen its Great Red Spot, the planet's massive storm that's been raging for the past 350 years. This is the first time we're seeing it this close, though, and it's all thanks to NASA's Juno spacecraft. The probe flew 5,600 miles above the spot on Monday, the closest it's even been to the planet's iconic feature, while all eight of its instruments collected data. Now, NASA has released the first batch of close-up images taken by JunoCam, showing the ancient storm in greater detail than we've ever seen before.
Juno probe makes the closest-ever encounter with Jupiter
If you thought the Juno probe's first photos of Jupiter were tantalizing, you're in for a treat. The spacecraft just completed the closest approach it will take during its primary mission around the gas giant, passing a mere 2,600 miles above the surface early on the 26th. It's the closest any vehicle has been to Jupiter, and NASA researchers already believe that they'll discover new things about the Jovian world once they process the data (which could take "some time," NASA warns). And of course, it's a prime photographic opportunity. You'll not only get the sharpest-ever photos of Jupiter's atmosphere when photos arrive late next week, but the first good look at the planet's poles.
