A few weeks after astonishing the entire world by publishing “the deepest and clearest infrared image ever taken of the Universe so far,” NASA released new exclusive images taken by the James Webb telescope on Monday. “Make way for the king of the solar system”: this time two images of Jupiter have been published.
Images that do not arrive as they are
These stunning shots are no ordinary photographs. “The James Webb Telescope’s near-infrared observation helps identify auroral emissions over the poles, high-altitude haze, and reflection from deeper clouds.” explains the Laboratory for Space Studies and Instrumentation in Astrophysics (LESIA).
Webb’s dedicated Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) recorded light at those wavelengths invisible to our eyes. The data was then transmitted to NASA, then “translated” into images with the help of scientist Judy Schmidt, the space agency summarizes in a long note.
Using its three infrared filters, the camera was able to show details of the planet. The red hues represent auroras at high latitudes, which are visible at the north and south poles of the planet. Shades of yellow and green, always at the poles, represent large “swirling” fogs.
Finally, mapped in blue, the third filter highlights reflected light from a deeper main cloud. Jupiter’s great red spot, characteristic of the planet, is also visible in these images and appears white, “because it reflects a lot of sunlight,” NASA specifies.
Source: BFM TV
