The new infrared images of Jupiter were captured by NASA’s newest James Webb Space Telescope are stunning everyone.
As we know, Jupiter is the largest planet in the solar system and a gas giant is a yellowish-orange sphere. Jupiter is a planet with giant storms, powerful winds, auroras, and extreme temperature and pressure conditions.
However, the new images of Jupiter show the planet in a very different dimension. A greenish blue view of Jupiter can be seen in the latest infrared images. Also, the images show the complete planet with all its signature elements like its giant storms, auroras and regions of extreme temperature.
In a press statement planetary astronomer Imke de Pater said –
We hadn’t really expected it to be this good, to be honest,
De Pater, professor emerita of the University of California, Berkeley and Paris Observatory professor Thierry Fouchet, who led the observations of Jupiter stated –
It’s really remarkable that we can see details on Jupiter together with its rings, tiny satellites, and even galaxies in one image.
Heidi Hammel, Webb interdisciplinary scientist for solar system observations and vice president for science at AURA said –
The brightness here indicates high altitude – so the Great Red Spot has high-altitude hazes, as does the equatorial region,
The numerous bright white ‘spots’ and ‘streaks’ are likely very high-altitude cloud tops of condensed convective storms.
What is Webb
Webb is an international mission led by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) with its partners ESA (European Space Agency) and CSA (Canadian Space Agency).
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In a wide-field view, Webb sees Jupiter with its faint rings, which are a million times fainter than the planet, and two tiny moons called ‘Amalthea’ and ‘Adrastea’. The fuzzy spots in the lower background are likely galaxies “photobombing” this Jovian view.
New Images of Jupiter Explained
Auroras extend to high altitudes above both the northern and southern poles of Jupiter. The auroras shine in a filter that is mapped to redder colors, which also highlights light reflected from lower clouds and upper hazes. A different filter, mapped to yellows and greens, shows hazes swirling around the northern and southern poles. A third filter, mapped to blues, showcases light that is reflected from a deeper main cloud.
The Great Red Spot, a famous storm so big it could swallow Earth, appears white in these views, as do other clouds, because they are reflecting a lot of sunlight.
The brightness here indicates high altitude – so the Great Red Spot has high-altitude hazes, as does the equatorial region,
The numerous bright white ‘spots’ and ‘streaks’ are likely very high-altitude cloud tops of condensed convective storms.