Nasa image of the day

[Jamie]

Europa Rising

2007 May 7

When passing Jupiter on your way to Pluto, what should you look for? NASA pondered just this question recently, and the response from one space enthusiast was to capture the above breathtaking moonrise. The unusual vista was then actually captured by the New Horizons spacecraft in February just after it buzzed past Jupiter on its way to Pluto and the outer Solar System. Visible above is the cracked surface of Europa's expansive ice fields, visible just behind a jumble of Jupiter's swirling clouds. Europa is one of the largest moons of Jupiter and a possible host to sub-surface liquid oceans that are real candidates for containing extra-terrestrial life. During the Jupiter flyby, New Horizons also carried out scientific observations of Jupiter's cloud tops and comparative images of Io's volcanoes and its continually changing surface.

Credit: NASA, Johns Hopkins U. APL, SWRI

[barkis]

Thanks for that Jamie. It is a stunning , and beautiful image.

Ron.

[maroon bells]

Thanks that's mental.

[Akyra]

New Horizons looks extremely close to the surface of Jupiter, at how close did is actually pass-by?

[Jamie]

The spacecraft was 2.3 million kilometers (1.4 million miles) from Jupiter and 3 million kilometers (1.8 million miles) from Europa when the picture was taken... :shock: :shock:

[Black Shuck]

Incredible. It blows my mind how a craft can be sent that distance with that accuracy and send back astounding views like this. Love the swirling "clouds" on Jupiter 8)

Bill£

[Akyra]

WOW, was NASA not afraid the gravity might pull the spacecraft into the heart of Jupiter?

[FLO]

Good find Jamie 8)

[themos]

WOW, was NASA not afraid the gravity might pull the spacecraft into the heart of Jupiter?

They probably relied on the "sling-shot" effect, a kick that Jupiter's gravity will give the probe and hasten it on its way.