NASA’s Juno spacecraft
arrives at Jupiter in July
After a nearly 5-year journey, NASA’s
Juno spacecraft will reach its final
destination on July 4 as it eases into a
polar orbit around our solar system’s
largest planet —the gas giant Jupiter.
Juno, which began its long trek to
Jupiter on Aug. 5, 2011, is tasked with
uncovering the secrets of the cloudshrouded planet to provide detailed
insight into its origins and evolution.
COURTESY OF NASA/JPL-Caltech
Mission highlights will include
This artist’s concept depicts NASA’s Juno
mapping Jupiter’s magnetic and
spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter.
gravity fields to discover the planet’s
interior structure; studying the polar
regions and auroras; and observing deep into the atmosphere to measure
factors like composition and circulation.
After making 33 orbits of Jupiter, Juno will wrap up its mission on Oct. 16,
2017. At that time, the spacecraft will plunge into Jupiter’s atmosphere and
burn up in a maneuver designed to protect Jupiter’s satellites from being
contaminated by any stowaway microbes from Earth.
For more information on the Juno mission, click here.
on the horizon
May 14 — Astronomy Day
Promoted and organized by the
Astronomical League, National Astronomy
Day is scheduled for May 14, and events
are being planned around the country to
celebrate. Organizers describe the day as
a grass roots movement with a mission
to expose as many people as possible
to the wonders of astronomy. For more
information, click here.
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• In January 2016, Juno became the most
distant solar-powered explorer when it
surpassed the record set in October 2012 by the
European Space Agency’s Rosetta spacecraft.
• On each of its 33 expected orbits of Jupiter,
Juno will come within 5,000 kilometers (3,100
miles) of the planet’s distinct cloud tops.
• Juno’s cargo includes three special Lego
minifigures representing the Roman god Jupiter,
his wife Juno (the spacecraft’s namesake) and
Galileo, who discovered Jupiter’s four largest
moons.
— Source: JPL/NASA
— Compiled by Patricia Smith, Source: NASA/JPL
May 1-8 — Texas Star Party
The 38th Annual Texas Star Party will
kick off on May 1 at the Prude Ranch six
miles northwest of Fort Davis, Texas. In
addition to offering extremely dark skies