Europa up close

 

Jupiter's Moon Europa credit for data :JUNO spacecraft NASA / SwRI / MSSS. Data reduction by Pip Stakkert at the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

"As our telescopes, Jupiter's low inclination and the weather preclude us imaging Jupiter's Galilean Moons other than as tiny discs, we decided to download data from NASA's JUNO spacecraft to create this rather beautiful picture of the Ice Moon Europa". - Kurt Thrust current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory. 

The Icy Crust of Europa Credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona

"Europa presents an icy surface with a disrupted crust which betrays constant movement. Similar broken and rafted ice terrains may be found on Earth where sea ice forms on top of a subsurface ocean. It is considered very likely that underneath Europa's surface there lies a deep and planet wide ocean. The Hubble Telescope has detected intermittent plumes which appear to be associated with warmer areas on the surface of Europa. If this is the case then this might indicate water vapour venting from fissures in the icy crust. Europa is a possible candidate for harbouring microbial life". - Karl Seguine Community Outreach Coordinator at the Jodrell Plank Observatory.

Plume erupting from Europa, March 17, 2014. Credit: NASA, ESA, W. Sparks (STScI), and the USGS Astrogeology Science Center

Compilation image to show JUNO in orbit around Jupiter Credit: Pip Stakkert

Is the Great Red Spot unravelling?

A crop from Juno Image 7228 - Credit NASA JUNO - taken on the 12th Of September 2019 at 03:39:56 UT when the space craft was at Altitude 42965.2  km, Longitude 314.8963 and Latitude -46.6062. Credit for image processing: Jodrell Plank Observatory Imaging Team Leader Pip Stakkert

"The Great Red Spot has been a constant feature of the turbulent weather system on Jupiter for many centuries. The GRS has been getting smaller for a number of years and this summer the 'shrinking' gained momentum. Close inspection of the above enlarged image reveals 'rivers' of dark material 'leaking' from the  edge of the GRS into the surrounding belts and zones. The affect mimics an 'unravelling' at the interface between the 'Spot' and it's surroundings. Will the GRS continue to shrink? Will the the GRS disappear altogether? If so will another similar storm grow to replace it in size, colour and longevity? We can only guess, watch and wonder but how sad will it be if this old friend departs from the Jovian atmosphere, it's like never to be seen again?" - Kurt Thrust acting CEO and current Director of the Jodrell Plank Observatory.