Using San Diego-made camera, Juno takes snapshot of Jupiter

San Diego Union-Tribune ^ | 12 July 2016 6:40pm | Gary Robbins

[blueplum]

The San Diego-made camera aboard the Juno spacecraft survived in good working order when the satellite went into orbit around the gas giant on July 4th.

NASA on Tuesday released the first image taken by "JunoCam" since the satellite began its primary mission of studying Jupiter's physical and chemical composition.

The two megapixel camera developed by Malin Space Science Systems was turned off for operational reasons shortly before Juno entered orbit. But NASA switched the camera back on on July 10th and took a low resolution image that shows half of Jupiter and three of its moons, Io, Europa and Ganymede.

[blueplum]

photo at link. Jupiter looks pink!

[Bullish]

Photo right here.

[HoneysuckleTN]

Juno takes snapshot of Jupiter

Probably trying to catch him in conjunction with Io or Europa!

:P

[mazda77]

If Juno is in orbit and they say this picture was taken after it got there, what would be the purpose of having a lens at that aspect if they want to use it to study the planet?

From what we have of the Hubble images, they are far better.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

From http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/spacecraft/index.html

Juno's scientific payload includes:

A gravity/radio science system (Gravity Science)
A six-wavelength microwave radiometer for atmospheric sounding and composition (MWR)
A vector magnetometer (MAG)
Plasma and energetic particle detectors (JADE and JEDI)
A radio/plasma wave experiment (Waves)
An ultraviolet imager/spectrometer (UVS)
An infrared imager/spectrometer (JIRAM)

The spacecraft will also carry a color camera, called JunoCam, to provide the public with the first detailed glimpse of Jupiter's poles. [Emphasis added]

So, the snapshot camera is a public relations tool. It's mission is scientific. It's like a cheap digital camera you give a little kid on a long trip to keep him amused.

[Bullish]

If Juno is in orbit and they say this picture was taken after it got there, what would be the purpose of having a lens at that aspect if they want to use it to study the planet?

[cabojoe]

At closest approach the spacecraft was turned around traveling engine first...they didn’t take pictures because of that and the fact that the burn to slow down to get into an initial orbit was more important than pictures. Juno is in a highly elliptical initial orbit so it is traveling away from Jupiter now. That’s why the Jupiter looks distant...it is distant.

[rlmorel]

Gee...would the Sun have anything to say to Mr. Jupiter about that compromising situation?

[Woodman]

The whole mission has a highly elliptical orbit due to the radiation belt around the planet. The space craft essentially dive-bombs the planet once each orbit and captures a slice of imagery. It is going to take about a full year to get all of the pieces of the images captured to complete the survey.

[Woodman]

Here is a video of the orbits planned https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3liQOvj8LPE&feature=youtu.be

[billyboy15]

2 megapixels? That’s it?

[bert]

Patience...... wait until August 27 and then say that

[Moonman62]

Visual images aren’t an important part of this mission. The camera is designed to fail after only seven orbits. It wouldn’t have a camera at all except for some publicity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juno_(spacecraft)#Scientific_objectives