Astronomy Picture of the Day
Posted By admin On October 22, 2011 @ 8:30 am In Photo Essays | Comments Disabled
[1]Image Credit & Copyright [2]: S2P/IMCCE/Obs. Midi Pyrénées, Jean-Luc Dauvergne [3], Francois Colas
Explanation: On October 29 (UT) [4], Jupiter, the solar system’s largest planet [5], will be at opposition, opposite the Sun [6] in planet Earth’s sky, shining brightly and rising as the Sun sets. That configuration [7]results in Jupiter’s almost annual closest approach to planet Earth, so near opposition the gas giant offers earthbound telescopes stunning views of its stormy, banded atmosphere and large Galilean moons [8]. This sharp snapshot of Jupiter was captured on October 13 with the 1 meter telescope [9] at the Pic Du Midi [10] mountain top observatory in the French Pyrenees [11]. North is up in the image that shows off oval shaped vortices and planet girdling dark belts and light zones [12]. Also seen in remarkable detail, Jupiter’s icy Ganymede [13], the solar system’s largest moon, is emerging from behind the planet (top) while volcanic Io [14] enters the frame near the lower left edge.
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URLs in this post:
[1] Image: http://www.berthoudrecorder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/jupiter20111013225714couleu.jpg
[2] Copyright: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
[3] Jean-Luc Dauvergne: http://astrophotography.fr/
[4] On October 29 (UT): http://earthsky.org/tonight/on-october-28-jupiters-closest-opposition-until-2022
[5] the solar system’s largest planet: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Jupiter&Display=OverviewLong
[6] opposite the Sun: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap100918.html
[7] That configuration: http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/O/Opposition
[8] Galilean moons: http://solarsystem.nasa.gov/planets/profile.cfm?Object=Jupiter&Display=Moons
[9] 1 meter telescope: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm3h2e_mOjI
[10] Pic Du Midi: http://bagn.obs-mip.fr/webcam/
[11] French Pyrenees: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080125.html
[12] dark belts and light zones: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atmosphere_of_Jupiter#Zones.2C_belts_and_jets
[13] icy Ganymede: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap990304.html
[14] volcanic Io: http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080817.html
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