Jupiter

NASA's Juno mission is exploring Jupiter from orbit, beaming back amazing photos, atmospheric data and other observations about the largest planet in our solar system. The Juno probe launched Aug. 5, 2011 and arrived in orbit around Jupiter on July 4, 2016. It is the farthest space probe ever to be powered by solar arrays. The $1.1 billion mission is expected to run through July 2021, but the science of Jupiter it returns will last a lifetime. Learn more about Juno's Jupiter discoveries here.

Related Topics: NASA, Jupiter

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Artist's illustration with Juno on the left and a close up of Jupiter on the right.

Jupiter missions: Past, present and future

By Daisy Dobrijevic published

Reference A rundown of every mission to Jupiter past to present, as well as the new ones on the horizon.

Planetary alignment on Mar. 27, 2023.

Watch a 5 planet parade today with this free telescope livestream

By Brett Tingley published

The Virtual Telescope Project will be streaming "Five Planets at a glance" on March 28, offering a view of this planetary parade from Rome.

Uranus is growing a smoggy cap around its north pole, the Hubble Space Telescope reveals.

Uranus grows a smoggy cap while Jupiter's Red Spot keeps shrinking, Hubble telescope reveals (photos)

By Tereza Pultarova published

New images of Uranus and Jupiter taken by the Hubble Space Telescopes reveal slow weather changes on these giant, distant planets.

Sliver of Moon Meets Jupiter

See the moon and Jupiter meet in the sky tonight (March 22)

By Robert Lea published

On Wednesday (March 22), the moon will be in conjunction with Jupiter, with the two celestial bodies making a close approach in the sky.

a person looking up at the night sky beside a telescope

Watch Jupiter meet the moon and Mercury this week before leaving the night sky

By Joe Rao published

Jupiter will meet up with the moon before joining Mercury in late March, after which it will disappear in the glare of the sun until it reappears in May.

A view of Jupiter's moon Europa captured by NASA's Juno mission during its Sept. 29, 2022, close flyby at the moon. The spacecraft was 945 miles (1,500 kilometers) above the moon's surface when the image was taken.

Jupiter moon Europa's buried ocean may alter rotation of its icy shell

By Andrew Jones published

The vast, swirling ocean within Jupiter's moon Europa may be affecting the rotation of its icy crust, scientists say.

The European Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer, Juice, being unpacked at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana following its 9 February 2023 arrival from Airbus Toulouse.

Europe's 1st ever Jupiter mission in 'home straight' ahead of April launch

By Tereza Pultarova published

Europe's first Jupiter-bound mission is in the final stages of preparations for its launch on April 13 from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

two bright planets in the night sky. one is surrounded by a few bright points of light

Watch 'kissing' planets Venus and Jupiter go their separate ways in night sky

By Robert Lea published

Venus and Jupiter end their close approach to one another and are now moving in separate directions.

A 10-image collage showing Jupiter and Venus moving toward one another. The sky is a different color in each panel of the collage.

See Jupiter and Venus dance across the twilight sky in this amazing photo collage

By Brett Tingley published

A stunning image shows what the photographer calls "10 Days of Nearness" between Jupiter and Venus, spanning from Feb. 21 to March 2, 2023.

An illustration of the night sky on March 1 showing the proximity of Venus and Jupiter.

Don't miss Venus and Jupiter shine super close in the night sky. They won't be closer until 2032!

By Joe Rao published

You can catch an incredibly close view of these worlds for 2 hours after sunset tonight (March 1).

An illustration of the night sky on March 1 showing the proximity of Venus and Jupiter.

Venus and Jupiter get so close they nearly 'kiss' in the night sky tonight. Here's how to see it.

By Robert Lea last updated

Venus and Jupiter will meet up in the night sky on Wednesday (March 1) during a conclave of solar system record breakers, its hottest planet and its largest.

illustration of venus and jupiter in a circle on a diagram of the night sky. constellation figures surround the planets

Watch Venus and Jupiter come close to each other tonight and tomorrow in live webcasts

By Elizabeth Howell published

The Virtual Telescope Project will show the two planets meeting in the night sky on Wednesday (March 1) and Thursday (March 2). Here's how to watch.

An artist's impression of JUICE arriving in the Jovian system (distances of celestial bodies not to scale).

How the risk of biological contamination could complicate the fate of Europe's Jupiter mission

By Keith Cooper published

If the huge Jupiter moon Ganymede is more potentially habitable than previously thought, it could alter the end of Europe's JUICE mission.

A color view of the Jovian moon Europa captured by NASA's Galileo spacecraft in the late 1990s.

Newly discovered type of salt could explain the mystery of Europa's ice cracks

By Robert Lea published

Jupiter's moon Europa is crisscrossed with red streaks that have chemical compositions like nothing on Earth. The discovery of a new type of salt ice may finally solve this mystery.

An illustration of the night sky on Feb. 22 showing the conjunction of the moon and Jupiter.

Watch the moon meet up with Jupiter in the night sky tonight

By Robert Lea published

The two-day-old moon meets up with Jupiter tonight (Feb. 22), making a close approach and sharing the same right ascension in an arrangement known as a conjunction.

The new moon meets Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest 'stars', in the sky on Feb. 22 early in the morning.

Watch the moon meet Venus and Jupiter in the sky tonight with free livestream

By Robert Lea published

The new moon meets Venus and Jupiter in the sky on Wednesday (Feb. 22) early in the morning and you can watch it live via the Virtual Telescope Project.

An illustration of Jupiter and its four largest moons.

New auroras detected on Jupiter's four largest moons

By Robert Lea published

The four largest moons of Jupiter - Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto - have newly discovered auroras that can be seen in visible light.

A photograph of a telescope in front of two bright objects in the night sky.

See a bright Venus and Jupiter hold a celestial meeting in the night sky this month

By Joe Rao published

Venus and Jupiter should make for a very striking visual spectacle, no doubt attracting the attention of even those who don't give more than a casual glance at the night sky.

ESA’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft being unpacked at Europe’s Spaceport in French Guiana.

Europe's JUICE Jupiter spacecraft arrives at spaceport ahead of April launch

By Andrew Jones published

The European Space Agency's Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (JUICE) spacecraft has arrived at Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana for the final preparations for launch.

An illustration of the orbits of Jupiter's moons, not including its newly found 12 moons.

Jupiter now has the most moons in the solar system, beating Saturn thanks to 12 newfound satellites

By Robert Lea published

Jupiter now boasts the largest number of moons orbiting it after scientists discovered another 12 moons, bringing the behemoth's total up to 92.