On the Fourth of July, get ready for BBQ, fireworks and Jupiter.
NASA’s latest planet-exploring probe is set to approach the solar system’s largest planet. If the Hubble Space Telescope’s preview is any indication, some spectacular views are in store for Juno.
How about that light show? @NASA_Hubble sees #Jupiter aurora, days before my orbit arrival https://t.co/RADsYS7vOJ pic.twitter.com/yTRmDHEWlt
— NASA's Juno Mission (@NASAJuno) June 30, 2016
If the fact that it’ll be exploring a region called the Crab Nebula doesn’t provide enough Baltimore connection, consider Johns Hopkins’ role in the mission.
JHU’s Applied Physics Lab isn’t responsible for the whole mission like it was with Pluto, but the scientists in Laurel did manage to get a JEDI onboard.
According to the JHU Hub, the Jupiter Energetic Particle Detector Instrument (JEDI) is taking samples of the space around Jupiter in hopes of finding out more about the energy-packed particles responsible for creating auroras like the one pictured above.
“Jupiter’s aurora has a power density 10 times greater than Earth’s, and an overall power that is a factor of 100 greater. What we want to know is, how is this system energized?” said APL’s Barry Mauk.
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