British Astronomical Association

Supporting amateur astronomers since 1890

RESULTS FROM JUNO (2016-2017, Perijoves 1-10)

NASA’s Juno spacecraft went into orbit around Jupiter on 2016 July 5, and had its first operational perijove on August 27. 

We aim to post updates on events and results from the Juno mission that are relevant to visible atmospheric features.  News items including NASA press links are posted on the BAA Jupiter Section’s home page:  https://www.britastro.org/section_front/15

Annotated images from Juno’s camera (JunoCam), and our comments on them, are posted on this page:  see links at bottom of this page. 

They are also posted on the JunoCam web site itself:   https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/junocam

Images from JunoCam are posted in the ‘Image Processing’ section of that web site.  Credit for all images:  NASA / SwRI (Southwest Research Institute) / MSSS (Malin Space Science Systems).  That web site also carries details of JunoCam and how amateurs can be involved with it.

For a brief preview of the Juno mission and our involvement in it, and a summary of the recent state of Jupiter’s atmospheric features, please see the account in the Journal of the BAA (2016 August), which is posted here:   https://britastro.org/node/7957

For a report on the recent state of Jupiter’s atmospheric features with background information, see our 2015/16 Report no.9, at:   https://www.britastro.org/node/7741

Juno’s period reduction manoeuvre at perijove-2 (2016 Oct.19) was cancelled due to a valve malfunction.  Juno remains in a 53-day orbit, and is now expected to do so at least until next summer. Dr Glenn Orton has sent the following list of perijoves, to which I have added the L1 and L2 longitudes.  The spacecraft will be able to stay in its present orbit for several years and carry out its full mission, even if it cannot switch to the intended 14-day orbit.

  • Juno at Perijove-10, Part II: Global maps
  • Juno at Perijove-10 (Part I)
  • Juno at Perijove-9 (Part II): What the close-up images show
  • Juno at Perijove-9 (Part I): Global maps
  • Juno at Perijove-8
  • Juno at Perijove-8: First look at the images
  • Juno at Perijove-7 (Part 1)
  • Juno at Perijove-7 (Part 2): The Great Red Spot
  • Juno at Perijove-6: The major belts from Perijove-1 to -6.
  • Juno at Perijove-6: Polar and high temperate regions
  • Juno at Perijove-5
  • JunoCam at perijove-1 (PDF version)
  • Juno at Perijove-4
  • Juno at Perijove-3: Inbound and outbound sequences
  • Juno at Perijove-3: The south polar pentagon animated
  • Juno at Perijove-3 (PDF version)
  • Juno at Perijove-3: Close-up views of southern hemisphere
  • Juno at Perijove-3: Close-up views of northern hemisphere
  • Juno at Perijove-3: Images of Polar Regions
  • JunoCam at Perijove-1: Animated maps showing jets and storms
  • JunoCam at Perijove-1: Map of the planet
  • JunoCam at perijove-1: a global survey of Jupiter
  • JunoCam at perijove-1: original images enhanced and features identified
  • JunoCam at perijove-1: Images of the poles
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