It has been a busy couple months for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), with NASA releasing multiple images of far-flung stars and galaxies since President Joe Biden first revealed the instrument’s inaugural pictures in July.
Now, the space agency has yet again unveiled breathtaking images captured by the observatory’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), showcasing spectacular details of the planet Jupiter that have never been seen before.
“We hadn’t really expected it to be this good, to be honest. It’s really remarkable that we can see details on Jupiter together with its ring, tiny satellites, and even galaxies in one image,” remarked Imke de Pater, Professor Emerita of the University of California, Berkeley.
By using different filters, the scientists were able to construct a final composite picture that not only shows the Giant Planet’s auroras, but also hazes swirling around its northern and southern poles. Plus, The Great Red Spot—the storm so massive it could swallow Earth—shows up too.
In addition, the wide-field version of the image displays Jupiter’s faint rings, and its two moons Amalthea and Adrastea, with fuzzy galaxies “photobombing” the stunning view in the background.
“This one image sums up the science of our Jupiter system program, which studies the dynamics and chemistry of Jupiter itself, its rings, and its satellite system,” explained Thierry Fouchet, Professor at the Paris Observatory.
According to a statement, it appears researchers are now analyzing the data collected by the JWST in hopes of finding new information and learning more about the solar system’s largest planet.
Giant news from a giant planet!@NASAWebb captured a new view of Jupiter in infrared light, uncovering clues to the planet’s inner life. Two moons, rings, and distant galaxies are visible. Get the details: https://t.co/6WKbAQY78z pic.twitter.com/9uaACCPGyU
— NASA (@NASA) August 22, 2022
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