New 3D images of Jupiter showing "wonderful chaotic storms" have brought the planet to life, researchers say. The animations show the swirling cloud tops in images that have been compared to frosting on the top of a cupcake.
The images of the solar system's largest planet come from data captured by the so-called JunoCam, a visible-light camera onboard NASA’s Juno spacecraft. The camera was initially intended to increase public engagement, but has been used by a team of citizen scientists and professional astronomers to gather data.
Gerald Eichstädt, one of the citizen scientists, presented the results at the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) 2022 in Granada. Dr Eichstädt, a professional mathematician and software developer, said: "The Juno mission provides us with an opportunity to observe Jupiter in a way which is essentially inaccessible by Earth-based telescopic observations.
