NASA’s spacecraft captures stunning image of a luminous green sphere on Jupiter
NASA Discovers Green Lightning Bolts on Jupiter
Recent news from BGR reveals that NASA has made a fascinating discovery in the depths of space. The photo captured by JunoCam, a camera installed on NASA’s vehicle Juno, showcases a lightning bolt forming amidst the storms in Jupiter’s turbulent atmosphere.
The image displays a remarkable sight – a “bright orb with green lightning bolts” embedded within the dense clouds enveloping Jupiter’s surface. NASA researchers have studied this phenomenon, comparing it to lightning on Earth, and uncovered some intriguing differences.
On our planet, lightning is primarily caused by the presence of water within the equatorial clouds. However, Jupiter’s lightning is composed of a unique blend of ammonia and water, which frequently leads to these astonishing formations near the planet’s poles.
The Juno spacecraft managed to capture this extraordinary green sphere photo during its orbital flight, soaring at a height of approximately 19,900 miles (32,000 kilometers) above Jupiter’s clouds. Interestingly, this remarkable picture was first spotted by Kevin M. Gill, a talented scientist working at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
Scientists underline that the lightning on Jupiter is ten times more powerful than what we experience here on Earth. Additionally, lightning strikes have been detected on other planets, such as Saturn, where they occur at a mind-blowing rate of ten times per second.
Since its mission’s initiation in 2016, Juno has orbited Jupiter an astounding 35 times. During these orbits, the spacecraft diligently collects data regarding the planet’s pale dust rings, the fascinating “Great Blue Spot,” the magnetic field situated near the equator, and many other enigmatic aspects of this awe-inspiring planet.
As NASA continues to unravel the mysteries of Jupiter, the discovery of these green lightning bolts serves as a reminder of the vast beauty and incredible phenomena that lie within our solar system.
