Dolphins in the Jovian clouds among the most astonishing Jupiter images of 2018
Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, has recently delivered a mind-bending torrent of amazing images, thanks to the work of citizen scientists creatively processing the trove of data from the Juno probe. Over the past twelve months we have been treated to some of the best images of the gas giant to date, including a magnificent shot of a cloud in the shape of a dolphin, swimming over the Jovian surface.
After arriving at Jupiter in 2016, NASA's Juno probe has delivered a magnificent array of both hard scientific data and spectacular imagery. The mission, initially scheduled to end mid-2018 was extended this year through to 2022.
One of the most novel aspects of the Juno mission was its recruitment of the general public to assist in creatively processing the images captured by JunoCam. As well as offering all the raw photographic data to the public, the JunoCam program allows the public to vote on specific image targets for each orbital pass.
This year has delivered up a brilliant assortment of creatively processed images from citizen scientists who have taken the raw JunoCam data. One of the more recent Juno flybys of Jupiter captured an image of a truly bizarre shaped cloud which the image processing community quickly jumped on. Seen along the South South Temperate Belt, during Juno's 16th flyby on October 29, 2018, a cloud precisely shaped like a dolphin appears to be swimming along the surface of the planet.
Take a closer look at this and other astonishing shots of Jupiter captured by Juno in 2018 and processed by dedicated citizen scientists.