NASA’s Webb Telescope reveals new details of Jupiter’s auroras

NASA announced on Monday that the James Webb Space Telescope has captured stunning new details of Jupiter’s auroras, showing they are much brighter and more powerful than previously known.

Using its Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), the telescope observed Jupiter on December 25, 2023. A research team led by Jonathan Nichols from the University of Leicester found that Jupiter’s auroras are hundreds of times more energetic than Earth’s Northern and Southern Lights.

Auroras form when charged particles collide with gases near a planet’s magnetic poles. While Earth’s auroras are mainly caused by solar storms, Jupiter’s are also powered by its moon Io, which is full of volcanic activity.

Thanks to Webb’s advanced sensitivity, scientists can now study these fast-changing light shows in greater detail, gaining new insight into the planet’s extreme atmosphere.

Credit : CGTN