The Juno probe, launched on August 5, 2011, arrived at Jupiter on July 4, 2016 after a journey of five years and a little more than 2.8 billion kilometers, where it is installed in a polar orbit which allows it to explore the clouds of Jupiter to the confines of its magnetosphere.
Since its arrival, the probe has provided impressive images and surprising discoveries. It revealed major storms at Jupiter’s poles, active volcanoes on Io, its closest satellite, and answered questions about the planet’s winds. These discoveries have changed our view of the gas giant and its environment.
In addition to its main mission, she explored Jupiter’s rings, providing details of their composition and structure. The data obtained are crucial to better understand these elements and their influence on the planet’s climate and magnetosphere.
Juno captured high-resolution images that were processed by citizen scientists, thereby encouraging public participation in science. These images are not only fascinating, but they also help scientists better understand the composition and dynamics of Jupiter.
Revolutionary discoveries
Juno revealed impressive features of Jupiter, like its polar storms. These gigantic storms, observed for the first time, are spectacular phenomena that have surprised scientists. Furthermore, she discovered that the planet’s radiation belts are more intense than previously thought.
Another crucial discovery is the existence of a considerable amount of water in Jupiter’s atmosphere, especially at the equator. This information is essential for understanding the formation and evolution of giant planets and can be compared to the internal structure of other giant planets in the solar system and beyond.
Additionally, the images captured by JunoCam have allowed scientists and the general public to observe Jupiter in a never-before-seen way. These images show details of the planet’s aurora borealis and cloud features, which allows us to better understand the climate and atmospheric phenomena of Jupiter.
The data also revealed details about Jupiter’s internal structure, including the existence of a diffuse core that mixes with the planet’s outer layers. This discovery is crucial for understanding the formation and evolution of giant planets.
Mission expansion
The Juno mission has been extended until September 2025, which will allow the probe to explore not only Jupiter, but also its most fascinating moons: Europa and Io.
The mission expansion will allow Juno to perform close flybys of these moons, which will provide essential data on their surface and composition. Europa, in particular, is of great interest because it could be home to an underground ocean suitable for life.
Flybys of Io, the moon with the highest volcanic activity in the solar system, will offer a unique opportunity to study its volcanic activity in detail. Scientists will thus be able to better understand the geology and behavior of active volcanoes.
The mission will continue to collect data on Jupiter’s magnetosphere, its gravitational fields and the phenomena that occur in its atmosphere. These studies will deepen our understanding of the physical and chemical processes taking place on the gas giant.
Images and citizen science
Juno captured high-resolution images that were processed by citizen scientists, encouraging public participation in science. The images are not only fascinating, but they also help scientists better understand the composition and dynamics of Jupiter.
The collaboration between NASA and citizen scientists has enabled to create artistic and scientific images that show the beauty of Jupiter in an unprecedented way. These images were widely shared on social media and captured the imagination of people around the world.
There is no doubt that citizen science played a crucial role in interpreting Juno data, helping to identify important features and unique phenomena in images. This collaboration demonstrated the power of citizen science and allowed people around the world to contribute to space exploration.
Open access to Juno data and citizen-processed images has sparked renewed enthusiasm for science and space exploration. Juno’s images have inspired a new generation of space enthusiasts and highlighted the importance of continuing the exploration of our solar system.