It was launched in 2011. Since 2016, it revolves around Jupiter. And on Monday, June 7, 2021, the Juno mission passed very close to Ganymede, the largest moon on the largest planet in our solar system. NASA today unveiled the first images of this short-range flight.
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There it is done. This Monday, June 7, 2021, mission Juno just passing 1,038 kilometers above Ganymede. More than twenty years after fly closer to sin Galileo. For speed from around 66,800 km/hour, it only took 25 minutes to capture the moment. And Juno has sent back two images to Earth showing the larger surface Month from Jupiter where incredible detail emerges. Clean craters, dark fields and light fields as well as structures that can be attached tectonic fault.
“We will take the time to draw scientific conclusions. Meanwhile, we marvel at this heavenly spectacle. ”, said Scott Bolton, Juno’s chief mission researcher, in NASA Press Release. More images are expected in the coming days. And they have to provide information about Ganymede’s composition, nya ionosfir, for magnetosfer and the ice sheet covering it.
More pictures of Ganymede to come
Using a green filter, the JunoCam Visible Light Imager captures almost the entire covered side of the moon air es with resolution about one kilometer per pixels. Later, when a version of the same image is available, using the camera’s red and blue filters, the image can add portraits color by Ganymede.
In addition, Juno’s navigation camera, the camera that keeps the spacecraft running and can operate at low levels brightness, taking advantage of ideal conditions to provide a black-and-white image of Ganymede’s dark side – the side opposite the Sun – while bathed in the dim light scattered by Jupiter. Image resolution between 600 and 900 meters per pixel.
NASA’s space probe will fly tonight over the solar system’s largest moon
More than 20 years ago, Galileo’s investigations approached Ganymede like never before. Today the adventure is relaunched. The Juno mission will fly over Jupiter’s largest moon, just 1,038 kilometers above sea level. That astronomer eager to receive data.
Article by Natalie Mayer published on 06/07/2021
In May 2000, NASA’s Galileo Research gives us the closest Ganymede image. This Monday evening at 7:35 p.m. KST, the Juno mission will return to visit Jupiter’s largest moon. It will fly above it at an altitude of only 1,038 kilometers. And astronomers expect a lot from it. Because the Juno probe is equipped with sensitive instruments that Ganymede can see like never before.
This is first cross air es Ganymede which will be observed. The microwave radiometer (MWR) on board the Juno shows how the composition and structure of this ice varies with depth. To better understand the patterns of light and dark that astronomers have noticed on the surface. Although we are waiting for an in-depth study of Jupiter’s Ice Moon Explorer (Jus, THAT) to whom will come orbit around Ganymede in 2032.
Valuable data is coming
Juno will also record data in the thin ionosphere of larger moon from Jupiter. Through small changes in small frequency in her radio what is this outer layer?atmosphere Ganymede as sin passes behind the moon. Objective: to establish the relationship between Ganymede’s ionosphere, his Force field intrinsic and magnetosfer from Jupiter.
Juno will also gather information about the environment in which the investigation will operate at that stage. It measures high energy particles around Diagnosis from radiation level.
JunoCam may offer stunning Ganymede images. A treat for eye, but which will also help astronomers identify changes that have occurred on the lunar surface since the images returned by Voyager and Galileo.
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