Jupiter is famous for its lush clouds, powerful storms and colorful stripes. We admire the pictures of this planet. But most of the images obtained are flat, so it is difficult to assess their scale and true beauty. A team of scientists wanted to find out what Jupiter’s clouds would look like with a sense of depth. Therefore, they created excellent 3D renderers using NASA’s Juno spacecraft.
Gerald Eichstadt, a scientist and space image processing specialist, led an animation project based on data from the JunoCam camera on board the spacecraft, which has sent us many fascinating landscapes of Jupiter since the mission arrived in the gas giant’s orbit in 2016. The researchers used JunoCam data to create digital maps of the heights of the cloud tops, which led to stunning images and animations that create the feeling that clouds are emerging from the screen.
“NASA’s Juno mission gives us the opportunity to observe Jupiter in a way that, in fact, is not available for telescopic observations from Earth. Now, thanks to the resulting three-dimensional animation, we can look at the same clouds from different angles,” said Eichstadt.
For ordinary citizens, these are spectacular shots, but for science they are more than just good photos in 3D. The team says digital models can help scientists improve their understanding of the chemical composition of clouds. The video also shows us Jupiter not as a smooth ball hanging against the background of the darkness of space, but as a rough planet with layered clouds and the depth of its perception.
Earlier we reported on how in September Jupiter will get as close to the Earth as possible for the first time in 70 years.
According to CNET
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