JunoCam – the camera aboard NASA’s Juno mission – has sent the first image of Jupiter, as well as the images of three of its four largest moons.The spacecraft entered orbit around the king of planets on 4 July.
The first high-resolution images of the gas giant Jupiter are still a few weeks away. The new view was obtained when the spacecraft was 4.3 million kilometres from Jupiter on the outbound leg of its initial 53.5-day capture orbit.
The colour image shows atmospheric features on Jupiter, including the famous Great Red Spot, and three of the massive planet’s four largest moons – Io, Europa and Ganymede, from left to right in the image.
“The first high-resolution images of the planet will be taken on August 27 when Juno makes its next close pass to Jupiter,” said Candy Hansen, co-investigator from the Planetary Science Institute in the US.
During its mission of exploration, Juno will circle the Jovian planets 37 times, soaring low over the planet’s cloud tops – as close as about 4,100 kilometres.
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