NASA's Juno Mission captures stunning 'Lightning' phenomenon on Jupiter
New Delhi : In a remarkable discovery, NASA's Juno spacecraft has captured an awe-inspiring image resembling a bolt of lightning near Jupiter's north pole. The image, shared by the space agency on its official Instagram account, was taken during Juno's 31st close flyby of the gas giant on December 30, 2020.
The stunning snapshot, which showcases a mesmerizing glow, was unveiled by NASA through their Instagram post. "Our @NASASolarSystem's Juno spacecraft observed the glow from a bolt of lightning in a vortex near Jupiter's north pole. Juno captured this view on Dec. 30, 2020, from about 19,900 miles (32,000 kilometers) above Jupiter's clouds as it approached the planet," explained the accompanying caption.
Juno, since embarking on its mission in July 2016, has been orbiting Jupiter on a highly elliptical path, meticulously studying the massive planet during close passes over its poles. During its 31st flyby, Juno managed to seize an extraordinary image of a greenish glow emanating from a lightning strike within a swirling vortex near Jupiter's north pole. NASA also provided insights into the reasons behind the phenomenon, stating, "On Earth, lightning bolts originate from water clouds and happen most frequently near the equator, while on Jupiter, lightning likely also occurs in clouds containing an ammonia-water solution and can be seen most often near the poles."
Moreover, NASA disclosed its plans for Juno's future observations, revealing that the spacecraft would continue to orbit Jupiter and venture towards the planet's night side in the upcoming months. This trajectory is anticipated to provide more opportunities for Juno's suite of scientific instruments to capture lightning events in action. Notably, the image processed by citizen scientist Kevin M. Gill in 2022 utilized raw data from JunoCam, an instrument onboard the Juno spacecraft. At the time the image was taken, Juno was positioned approximately 19,900 miles (32,000 kilometers) above Jupiter's cloud tops, approaching the planet at a latitude of about 78 degrees.
