NASA’S WEBB DELIVERS STUNNING IMAGES OF JUPITER

Sat 16 July 2022:

NASA recently unveiled outstanding images of Jupiter and the spectra of several asteroids taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, following the release of stunning colored images of thousands of galaxies in our universe.

According to a statement from the US space agency, the data shows Webb’s capacity to track solar system targets and generate images and spectra with unprecedented detail.

The Great Red Spot, a storm that is large enough to swallow the Earth, is visible in new images along with distinct bands that circle Jupiter.

“Combined with the deep field images released the other day, these images of Jupiter demonstrate the full grasp of what Webb can observe, from the faintest, most distant observable galaxies to planets in our own cosmic backyard that you can see with the naked eye from your actual backyard,” said Bryan Holler, a scientist at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.

In one of the images, Jupiter’s moon Europa with a probable ocean below its thick icy crust is seen which is the target of NASA’s forthcoming Europa Clipper mission.

“What’s more, Europa’s shadow can be seen to the left of the Great Red Spot. Other visible moons in these images include Thebe and Metis,” the space agency said.

Scientists were especially eager to see these images because they are proof that Webb can observe the satellites and rings near bright solar system objects such as Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars.

Webb will be used by scientists to investigate whether we can see material plumes erupting from moons like Europa and Saturn’s moon Enceladus.

Webb also captured some of Jupiter’s rings with ease. It is “absolutely astonishing and amazing” that Webb’s first image of the solar system included the rings.

Webb was designed with the requirement to track objects that move as fast as Mars, which has a maximum speed of 30 milliarcseconds per second.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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