NASA's Juno spacecraft took its closest look at Jupiter's volcanic moon Io in December 2023, capturing breathtaking images of the moon's surface. The stunning vistas are now available for the public to enjoy, offering a rare glimpse into one of the solar system's most fascinating worlds.
Io's night side is illuminated by an ethereal glow known as "Jupitershine," where sunlight is reflected off Jupiter's surface and beams down onto the moon. This phenomenon creates a surreal landscape, with volcanic features stretching across the darkened terrain like ghostly apparitions.
The JunoCam instrument on board the Juno spacecraft captured these extraordinary images from a distance of approximately 1,500 kilometers above Io's surface. The resulting photographs showcase the moon's labyrinthine valleys and calderas in exquisite detail, revealing a world both beautiful and hostile.
Io is a wonder of the solar system, with volcanic activity that rivals anything found on Earth. Its surface is constantly changing, with lava flows, volcanic eruptions, and tectonic shifts creating a dynamic environment that's as fascinating as it is unforgiving.
For NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Io's allure has proven irresistible. Each month, the organization chooses an image to feature, offering stunning wallpapers for desktops, links to related topics, games, and educational resources. This latest selection of images offers a captivating glimpse into the moon's volcanic wonders, inspiring awe and curiosity about this remarkable world.
Io's night side is illuminated by an ethereal glow known as "Jupitershine," where sunlight is reflected off Jupiter's surface and beams down onto the moon. This phenomenon creates a surreal landscape, with volcanic features stretching across the darkened terrain like ghostly apparitions.
The JunoCam instrument on board the Juno spacecraft captured these extraordinary images from a distance of approximately 1,500 kilometers above Io's surface. The resulting photographs showcase the moon's labyrinthine valleys and calderas in exquisite detail, revealing a world both beautiful and hostile.
Io is a wonder of the solar system, with volcanic activity that rivals anything found on Earth. Its surface is constantly changing, with lava flows, volcanic eruptions, and tectonic shifts creating a dynamic environment that's as fascinating as it is unforgiving.
For NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Io's allure has proven irresistible. Each month, the organization chooses an image to feature, offering stunning wallpapers for desktops, links to related topics, games, and educational resources. This latest selection of images offers a captivating glimpse into the moon's volcanic wonders, inspiring awe and curiosity about this remarkable world.
! 1,500 km away & still got that glow 
. It's crazy to think that sunlight from Jupiter is illuminating Io's surface... like a cosmic spotlight 
. And those volcanic features? Absolutely mind-blowing 
. Did you know that NASA's Juno spacecraft has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016, collecting over 50k images of the planet & its moons? Mind. Blown.
. That's like, a LOT of lava flows! The moon's surface temperature can reach up to 100°C (212°F) during the day & -150°C (-238°F) at night. Brrr 
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: Io's volcanic activity is 2-3 times more frequent than Earth's, with around 400 quakes happening every year 
. The moon's surface is also home to some of the largest lava flows in the solar system, covering over 100 km² (39 sq mi) of surface area 
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. If you haven't checked out NASA's Juno images yet, I highly recommend it! 
! I mean, can you believe we get to see the surface of Jupiter's moon up close like this? The way the sunlight reflects off Jupiter's surface is insane 
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. These wallpapers would make an awesome desktop background, I'd totally use one of them as my lock screen 
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️, it gives me chills! These pics from Juno are straight fire 
. NASA always knows how to bring the solar system vibes to life 
. I mean, we're still learning about our own planet's geology, let alone one that's actively spewing lava everywhere. Mind blown! 
. The way the sunlight reflects off Jupiter's surface to illuminate the night side... it's like nothing I've ever seen before. And those valleys and calderas on Io's surface? Whoa 
, but this is a whole different level of awesomeness. I'm so glad NASA shared these pics with the public – it's inspiring to see how much we still have to learn about our solar system 
Can we get some Io merch now? 
it's surreal how sunlight bounces off Jupiter's surface to light up Io's dark side. I can imagine the JunoCam instrument capturing some amazing pics, but 1,500km distance still feels far 
It's crazy to think about this moon being so dynamic, with lava flows and eruptions happening all the time 
️ That tectonic activity would make for some wild geological changes.
It's like looking at a sci-fi movie come to life. I mean, who needs the dark side of the moon when you have Jupitershine illuminating it instead? 
The way the sunlight reflects off Jupiter's surface and creates this ethereal glow is just mind-blowing. And can we talk about how much volcanic activity Io has? 
. These wallpapers are going on my phone ASAP though 
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. And what's up with Io's night side glow? It looks like something out of a sci-fi movie 
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. And those volcanic features? So cool! They're like giant ghostly apparitions in space 
️. I'm literally drooling over these pics rn