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Credit & Copyright: Christopher Go
Explanation:
Jupiter reaches
its 2026 opposition today, January 10.
That puts our Solar System's
most massive planet
opposite the
Sun and near its closest and brightest for viewing from planet Earth.
In fact, captured only 3 days ago this sharp
telescopic snapshot
reveals excellent details of the ruling gas giant's
swirling cloudtops,
in light zones and dark belts girdling the
rapidly rotating outer planet.
Jupiter's famous, persistent anticyclonic vortex, known as the
Great Red Spot,
is south of the equator at the lower right.
But two smaller red spots are also visible, one near the top in the
northernmost zone, and one close to Jupiter's south pole.
And while Jupiter's Great Red Spot is
known to be shrinking,
it's still about the size of the Earth itself.
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January |
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day