Juno is a NASA spacecraft, just like Cassini was. It is currently exploring the planet Jupiter. It launched from Earth in 2011 and reached Jupiter five years later in 2016.
Though it will not land on Jupiter, it will orbit the planet. This kind of spacecraft is called an Orbiter. It will fly around, or orbit, the planet. It plans to orbit Jupiter thirty seven times in all. It will spend one year orbiting the north pole and south pole.
Juno is equipped with scientific tools to study Jupiter’s atmosphere. NASA has launched this mission to help scientists understand how the gaseous gigantic planet was made and how it has changed over time. The new discoveries can help us understand more about our solar system.
The very first orbits of Juno around Jupiter, studies published reveal the planet is an even more active and chaotic place than previously thought, with an enormous magnetic field some ten times the strength of Earth’s. Juno is also tracking humongous storms at the poles that penetrate deep into the atmosphere of the gas giant.
On its ninth close flyby, the spacecraft captured a spectacular view of a monstrous storm raging in Jupiter’s northern hemisphere. The swirling clouds resembles the swirling pastel clouds of a Vincent van Gogh painting.
