Webb’s Jupiter Images Showcase Auroras and Hazes 

This image comes from the observatory’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), which has three specialized infrared filters that showcase details of the planet. Since infrared light is invisible to the human eye, the light has been mapped onto the visible spectrum. Generally, the longest wavelengths appear redder and the shortest wavelengths are shown as more blue. 

A wide field view showcases Jupiter in the upper right quadrant. The planet’s swirling horizontal stripes are rendered in blues, browns, and cream. Electric blue auroras (labeled Northern and Southern Aurora) glow above Jupiter’s north and south poles. A white glow emanates out from the auroras. Along the planet’s equator, rings glow in a faint white. These rings are one million times fainter than the planet itself! At the far left edge of the rings, a moon (labeled as Andrastea) appears as a tiny white dot. Slightly further to the left, another moon (labeled as Amalthea) glows with tiny white diffraction spikes. The rest of the image is the blackness of space, with faintly glowing white galaxies in the distance. Also labeled are spikes of light eminating from the Southern Aurora, which are diffraction spikes. At far left there is also another faint line labeled as a diffraction spike from Jupiter's moon Io. 


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