What it’s: Io, Jupiter’s third-largest moonWhen it was once taken: Oct. 15, 2023Where it’s: 262,000 miles (422,000 kilometers) from JupiterWhy it is so particular: This photograph, taken by means of NASA’s Juno spacecraft, is the highest-resolution symbol taken of probably the most volcanic international within the sun machine in 22 years. All the way through Juno’s fifty fifth orbit of Jupiter, the spacecraft got here inside of simply 7,260 miles (11,680 kilometers) of Io’s pockmarked floor, snapping dozens of pictures. The photograph above (which is in exaggerated distinction and colour) unearths new information about Io’s north polar area, which is roofed by means of mountains as tall as 20,000 toes (6,000 meters), in keeping with Io skilled and symbol processor Jason Perry.Additionally printed is a compilation of Juno’s pictures of Io taken on Oct. 16, in addition to every other photograph appearing each Io and Jupiter in the similar box of view.Io is the 5th maximum far-off moon from Jupiter, orbiting at a mean distance of 262,000 miles (422,000 kilometers), and the third-largest Jovian moon, at fairly better than Earth’s moon, in keeping with Area.com. (It is smaller than Ganymede and Callisto, however larger than Europa.)Io is roofed in volcanoes, with about 100 instances higher volcanic job than Earth’s, in keeping with NASA. The reason is tidal friction; Io is tidally locked to Jupiter, all the time appearing the planet the similar aspect, but its orbital trail is elliptical as a result of the gravitational pull of each Europa and Ganymede, in keeping with NASA. As Io bulges out and in, the friction creates warmth.RELATED STORIES—Area photograph of the week: Hubble spies a ‘cosmic tadpole’ in a sea of purple—Area photograph of the week: Warped ‘hummingbird galaxy’ guards a cosmic egg—Area photograph of the week: The solar’s violent corona love it’s by no means been noticed beforeThe pictures, taken by means of the spacecraft’s two-megapixel JunoCam, are the highest-resolution footage of Io since NASA’s Galileo orbiter was once within the Jovian machine in 2001. All the way through its undertaking, Galileo photographed two tall volcanic plumes from the moon’s Pele and Tvashtar Catena volcanoes.Juno is at the cusp of 2 even nearer passes of Io. The spacecraft will make its 57th and 58th closest approaches, or perijoves (shut passes), of Jupiter on Dec. 30, 2023, and Feb. 3, 2024, when it’s going to get inside of simply 930 miles (1,500 km) of Io’s floor.
