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

Latest Updates

A view of Jupiter in two wavelengths shows a fireball observed on Oct. 15, 2021.

Space rocks keep hitting Jupiter. What's the deal with that?

By Meghan Bartels published

Jupiter has been taking a beating lately.

The crescent moon will shine with a brilliant Venus and the bright planets Jupiter and Saturn from Nov. 8 to Nov. 11 shortly after sunset in the southwestern sky.

Look up to see the moon near Jupiter in the night sky tonight. Here's how.

By Chelsea Gohd last updated

Look up tonight (Nov. 11) to see the moon skate past Jupiter in the night sky.

The crescent moon will shine near Saturn and Jupiter on Wednesday and Thursday (Nov. 10-11).

You can see the moon near Saturn in the night sky tonight. Here's how.

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

The crescent moon will swing by Saturn on Wednesday before making a close approach to Jupiter in Thursday's evening sky.

Jupiter’s banded appearance is created by the cloud-forming “weather layer.” This composite image shows views of Jupiter in (left to right) infrared and visible light taken by the Gemini North telescope and NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, respectively.

NASA's Juno probe reveals secrets of Jupiter's atmosphere in 3D

By Elizabeth Howell published

We've got more information than ever on how the gas giant's cyclones and water operate, deep in the atmosphere.

The Juno spacecraft captured the north pole region of Europa for the first time, from a distance.

A NASA spacecraft just saw the north pole of Europa, the icy moon of Jupiter, for the first time

By Elizabeth Howell published

NASA's Juno snapped the first photo of the north pole of Europa, Jupiter's icy moon.

Juno spacecraft over Jupiter's great red spot. Jupiter is a gas giant, but could a spacecraft pass through a gas planet?

NASA to reveal new Jupiter atmosphere discovery Thursday. How to watch live.

By Elizabeth Howell published

The agency's Juno spacecraft has a starring role.

Close-up of Jupiter's famous Great Red Spot, as seen by one of NASA's Voyager spacecraft.

Jupiter's Great Red Spot is even deeper than scientists had thought

By Rahul Rao last updated

The Great Red Spot extends as much as 310 miles (500 kilometers) beneath Jupiter's cloud tops, data from NASA's Juno Jupiter probe shows.

An observer captured a flash on Jupiter on Oct. 15, 2021, as seen in Japan with a Celestron C6.

Jupiter hit by another space rock in rare views captured by Japanese skywatchers

By Meghan Bartels published

It's tough to be the biggest planet in the solar system, and this fall Jupiter is taking a beating.

Jupiter's moon Europa, as imaged by NASA's Galileo spacecraft.

Water vapor detected on Jupiter's ocean moon Europa

By Mike Wall last updated

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has spotted water vapor on Jupiter's ocean moon Europa, potentially revealing new clues about icy satellites in our solar system and beyond.

The moon, Jupiter and Saturn will form a fetching triangle in the night sky in October 2021.

Look up! The moon and 3 planets will gather after sundown this week

By Joe Rao last updated

Between Saturday and Thursday evenings (Oct. 9 to Oct. 14), the moon will visit not one but three bright planets: Venus, Saturn and Jupiter.

Artist’s impression of a mushball descending through a giant planet’s atmosphere.

Stinky 'mushball' hailstones on Uranus may explain an atmospheric anomaly there (and on Neptune, too)

By Tereza Pultarova published

A recent discovery of giant ammonia-rich hailstones, dubbed mushballs, on Jupiter might explain why Uranus and Neptune seem to have no ammonia in their atmospheres.

An artist's depiction of NASA's Lucy spacecraft studying asteroids.

NASA's record-breaking Lucy asteroid mission gearing up for October launch

By Mike Wall published

Lucy is scheduled to launch Oct. 16, kicking off a landmark mission that will see the probe get up close and personal with eight different space rocks over the next dozen years.

This 23-second looped animation of Jupiter's Great Red Spot, created with data from the Hubble Space Telescope, represents approximately 10 Earth hours (or one Jovian day) of activity.

Jupiter's winds of change show increased storm speeds in Great Red Spot

By Elizabeth Howell last updated

A decade of Jovian storm-chasing paid off for the Hubble Space Telescope.

Brazilian observer José Luis Pereira captured this shot of an impactor (bright flash at center-left) hitting Jupiter on Sept. 13, 2021.

Jupiter just got smacked by a space rock and an amateur astronomer caught it on camera

By Mike Wall published

The giant planet gets pummeled on a fairly regular basis.

Juno spacecraft over Jupiter's great red spot. Jupiter is a gas giant, but could a spacecraft pass through a gas planet?

Could a spaceship fly through a gas giant like Jupiter?

By JoAnna Wendel published

These planets are mostly made of gas, but a spaceship would have a rough time trying to get through a giant planet like Jupiter or Saturn.

This sky map shows the view from New York City of the moon, Jupiter and Saturn on Saturday (Aug. 21) at 10 p.m. local time.

See Jupiter and the moon make a close approach in tonight's sky

By Joe Rao published

Step outside around 45 minutes after sunset on Saturday evening (Aug. 21) and in a single glance you'll be able to partake in a gathering of the moon and the biggest planet of our solar system.

Jupiter as seen by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope on April 3, 2017, four days before the planet arrived at opposition.

Jupiter is at its biggest and brightest this week

By Elizabeth Howell published

The solar system's largest planet reaches opposition today (Aug. 19).

An infrared view of Ganymede.

Jupiter's huge moon Ganymede stuns in new infrared image from NASA's Juno probe

By Chelsea Gohd published

Scientists are using infrared to better explore Jupiter's moon Ganymede, the largest moon in our solar system.

Scientists think that auroras could be behind mysterious heating on Jupiter.

Jupiter 'energy crisis' caused by auroras, scientists find in new study

By Elizabeth Howell published

Jupiter's mysterious "energy crisis" that has puzzled astronomers for 50 years could be caused by auroras, new observations suggest.

An artist's depiction fo the Juno spacecraft observing Ganymede during the flyby on June 7, 2021. Juno launched to space ten years ago on Aug. 5 2011.

Happy birthday, Juno! NASA's Jupiter probe launched 10 years ago today

By Chelsea Gohd published

NASA's Jupiter-exploring space probe Juno celebrates 10 years in space today (Aug. 5).