                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                 2025 May 25
      A close-up image is shown of the planet Jupiter. Many clouds are
   visible including clouds colored blue near the bottom, on the left, and
    white oval clouds on the upper right. Please see the explanation for
                         more detailed information.

                               Beneath Jupiter
   Image Credit & Copyright: NASA, Juno, SwRI, MSSS; Processing & License:
                        Gerald Eichstädt & Seán Doran

   Explanation: Jupiter is stranger than we knew. NASA's Juno spacecraft
   has now completed over 70 swoops past Jupiter as it moves around its
   highly elliptical orbit. Pictured from 2017, Jupiter is seen from below
   where, surprisingly, the horizontal bands that cover most of the planet
   disappear into swirls and complex patterns. A line of white oval clouds
   is visible nearer to the equator. Impressive results from Juno show
   that Jupiter's weather phenomena can extend deep below its cloud tops,
   that Jupiter's center has a core that is unexpectedly large and soft,
   and that Jupiter's magnetic field varies greatly with location.
   Although Juno is scheduled to keep orbiting Jupiter further into 2025,
   at some time the robotic spacecraft will be maneuvered to plunge into
   the giant planet.

                 Jigsaw Jumble: Astronomy Puzzle of the Day
                      Tomorrow's picture: galaxy spikes
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
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                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

