Mysterious Jupiter Up Close Looks Like A Van Gogh Painting

Juno is NASA’s current mission attempting to understand the origin and evolution of Jupiter. The spacecraft is equipped with a suite of science instruments including several high-tech cameras that have been transmitting incredible images back to Earth for processing and analysis.

See Jovian clouds in striking shades of blue in this new view taken by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

Close-up images of the gas giant are awe-striking and the patterns and colours have drawn comparisons to van Gogh’s iconic impressionist-style paintings. Below you will find 10 images from Jupiter taken by Juno that look like van Gogh himself could have painted.

With the exception of the sun, Jupiter is the most dominant object in the solar system. Because of its enormous size and the fact that it was likely the first of the planets to form, and it has profoundly influenced the formation and evolution of the other bodies that orbit our star.

After a five-year journey that begin in August 2011, NASA’s Juno mission reached Jupiter in July 2016. Juno will continue to operate within the current budget plan through July 2018, for a total of 12 science orbits. The team can then propose to extend the mission during the next science review cycle.

More info: NASA (h/t: twistedsifter)

This color-enhanced image of a massive, raging storm in Jupiter’s northern hemisphere was captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

See Jupiter’s southern hemisphere in beautiful detail in this new image taken by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

This striking Jovian vista was created by citizen scientists Gerald Eichstädt and Seán Doran using data from the JunoCam imager on NASA’s Juno spacecraft.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt/Seán Doran

JunoCam images aren’t just for art and science – sometimes they are processed to bring a chuckle.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Jason Major

This enhanced-color image of Jupiter’s bands of light and dark clouds was created by citizen scientists Gerald Eichstädt and Seán Doran using data from the JunoCam imager on NASA’s Juno spacecraft.

NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Gerald Eichstädt /Seán Doran