Juno Spacecraft Captures Stunning Image of Lightning at Jupiter’s North Pole

NASA has recently released stunning photos taken by the spacecraft Juno during its 31st close flyby of Jupiter in late 2020. One of the photos, captured on December 30, 2020, shows a vortex near Jupiter’s north pole with a visible glow from a bolt of lightning. This image provides a rare glimpse into the fascinating weather patterns of the gas giant.

Similar to Earth, lightning bolts on Jupiter occur in clouds that contain an ammonia-water solution. These bolts are most commonly observed near the poles of the planet. The photo was processed by citizen scientist Kevin M. Gill using raw data from the JunoCam instrument aboard the spacecraft in 2022.

At the time the lightning photo was taken, Juno was approximately 20,000 miles above Jupiter’s cloud tops, approaching the planet at a latitude of 78 degrees. In the coming months, Juno’s orbits will bring it even closer to Jupiter as it passes over the giant planet’s nightside, providing scientists with more opportunities to study and capture images of this awe-inspiring celestial body.

Juno has been a remarkable mission, performing over 50 flybys of Jupiter and covering a distance of more than 510 million miles. It initially arrived at Jupiter on July 4, 2016, and conducted its first science flyby 53 days later. The spacecraft’s continuous exploration of Jupiter has yielded invaluable data and breathtaking images, furthering our understanding of this mysterious planet.

In other space news, scientists have recently discovered that a moon in our solar system possesses the necessary elements to support life. This exciting finding opens up new possibilities for the existence of extraterrestrial life beyond Earth.

For more information and updates on NASA’s missions and discoveries, visit the official NASA website.

nasa jupiter photos

NASA’s Juno spacecraft has captured stunning photos during its 31st close flyby of Jupiter in late 2020. Among the images is a captivating photo taken on December 30, 2020, showing a vortex near Jupiter’s north pole illuminated by a bolt of lightning. This snapshot offers a rare glimpse into the intriguing weather patterns of the gas giant.

Similar to Earth, Jupiter experiences lightning bolts within its clouds, which contain an ammonia-water solution. Interestingly, these bolts are primarily observed near the planet’s poles. The image in question was processed by citizen scientist Kevin M. Gill, who utilized raw data from the JunoCam instrument aboard the spacecraft in 2022.

At the time of the lightning photo, Juno was about 20,000 miles above Jupiter’s cloud tops, approaching the planet at a latitude of 78 degrees. In the coming months, Juno’s orbits will bring it even closer to Jupiter, allowing scientists more opportunities to study and capture awe-inspiring images of this celestial body’s nightside.

Juno’s mission has been extraordinary, performing more than 50 flybys of Jupiter and covering a distance exceeding 510 million miles. It first arrived at Jupiter on July 4, 2016, and conducted its initial science flyby a mere 53 days later. Through its ongoing exploration, Juno has provided invaluable data and breathtaking images, significantly advancing our understanding of this enigmatic planet.

In other exciting space news, scientists have recently made a remarkable discovery: a moon within our solar system possesses the essential components required to support life. This groundbreaking finding opens up new possibilities for the existence of extraterrestrial life beyond Earth.

For more information and updates on NASA’s missions and discoveries, I encourage you to visit the official NASA website.