WASHINGTON (AP) – A new image from the James Webb Space Telescope reveals that Jupiter’s magnificent aurora is hundreds of times more brilliant than anything we’ve observed on Earth.
The largest planet in the solar system showcases luminous displays triggered by the collision of high-energy particles from space with atmospheric gas atoms near its magnetic pole, akin to the auroras we see on Earth.
However, an international team of scientists who examined Webb’s photos taken during Christmas 2023 noted that Jupiter’s auroras possess significantly greater intensity.
Previously, Webb captured the finest details of Neptune’s glowing aurora, revealing it decades after its initial faint detection during a flyby by the Voyager 2 spacecraft.
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Source: apnews.com