Stunning lightning on Jupiter goes viral: NASA's Juno spacecraft captures spectacular image
PTC News Desk: NASA's Juno spacecraft has captured a stunning image of lightning on Jupiter, causing the picture to go viral. The photograph was taken on December 20, 2020, during Juno's 31st close flyby of the gas giant.
Citizen scientist Kevin M. Gill processed the image from raw data collected by Juno's JunoCam instrument. At the time the picture was taken, the spacecraft was approximately 19,900 miles above Jupiter's cloud tops, approaching the planet at a latitude of about 78 degrees.
NASA explains that while lightning on Earth originates from water clouds and is most common near the equator, Jupiter's lightning is believed to occur within clouds containing an ammonia-water solution and is frequently observed near the poles.
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Scientists studying the data obtained by Juno have found similarities between the lightning processes on Jupiter and those on Earth, despite the vast differences between the two planets. Lightning is a powerful natural electrical phenomenon, initiated inside thunderclouds when ice and water particles collide and form charged layers. This process establishes a massive electric field that leads to a discharge.
Jupiter, consisting mainly of hydrogen and helium with traces of other gases, is known for its distinctive stripes and storms. Juno, which has been orbiting the planet since 2016, continues to provide valuable insights into Jupiter's atmosphere, interior structure, magnetic field, and the surrounding region influenced by its magnetism.
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- With inputs from agencies
