A spectacular close-up view of an electric-blue aurora, by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope, that is eerily glowing one half billion miles away on the giant planet Jupiter. Image credit: NASA/ESA, John Clarke (University of Michigan)
Jupiter Near Opposition
October 24, 2011
On October 29 (UT), Jupiter, the solar system’s largest planet, will be at opposition, opposite the Sun in planet Earth’s sky, shining brightly and rising as the Sun sets. That configuration results in Jupiter’s almost annual closest approach to planet Earth, so near opposition the gas giant offers earthbound telescopes stunning views of its stormy, banded atmosphere and large Galilean moons.
