Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Juno Approaching Jupiter

NASA ^ | Friday, July 01, 2016 | (see photo credit)

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Explanation: Approaching over the north pole after nearly a five-year journey, Juno enjoys a perspective on Jupiter not often seen, even by spacecraft from Earth that usually swing by closer to Jupiter's equator. Looking down toward the ruling gas giant from a distance of 10.9 million kilometers, the spacecraft's JunoCam captured this image with Jupiter's nightside and orbiting entourage of four large Galilean moons on June 21. JunoCam is intended to provide close-up views of the gas giant's cloudy zoned and belted atmosphere. On July 4 (July 5 UT) Juno is set to burn its main engine to slow down and be captured into its own orbit around the giant planet. If all goes well, it will be the first spacecraft to orbit the poles of Jupiter, skimming to within 5,000 kilometers of the Jovian cloud tops during the 20 month mission.

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[Credit and Copyright: NASA, JPL, Juno Mission]

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The Big One

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Is she bowing in proper subservience?.................

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• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Juno Mission Trailer [06/28/2016 10:45:32 AM PDT
• 7 Days Out From Orbital Insertion, NASA’s Juno Images Jupiter and its Largest Moons [06/27/2016 8:44:26 PM PDT
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Juno Rockets Toward Jupiter [08/09/2011 1:43:24 AM PDT]