Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt /Seán Doran
Despite our squabbles here on Earth, the universe is full of so much beauty it’s almost stupid. Jupiter is perhaps the most unreasonably beautiful thing in our entire solar system, and it’s not shy about flexing. Recently, citizen scientists/JunoCam superstars Gerald Eichstädt and Seán Doran created one of the most incredible enhancements of a Jupiter pic we’ve ever seen. It’s rare that Jupiter out-Jupiters itself, but here we are.
According to NASA, the original photo was taken July 10th, 2017 at 10:12 p.m. EDT, as Juno performed its seventh Jovian flyby. The intrepid orbiter was roughly 10,274 miles (16,535 km) above Jupiter’s cloud tops, peering into its Great Red Spot and multicolored bands.
Here’s the image in full:
Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt /Seán Doran
Even Juno itself was impressed by the resplendent photo:
Jupiter Side Eye ? See the Great Red Spot from a new point of view in this striking Jovian vista https://t.co/CTa9TS3h7J #citizenscience pic.twitter.com/Fx2O4oXwme
— NASA’s Juno Mission (@NASAJuno) August 16, 2017
Shine on, Jupiter, you beautiful, swirly mystery ball. You can see the entire gallery of raw JunoCam images here.
[NASA]