Juno

In this series New Atlas profiles space probes, both past and present, tasked with pushing the boundaries of science by leading us into the great unknown. This week: a spacecraft built to unravel the mysteries hiding behind Jupiter's colorful clouds.

NASA's Juno deep-space probe has completed a major orbital maneuver to keep the solar-powered unmanned spacecraft out of Jupiter's deadly shadow.

Data from the Juno probe found that Jupiter's core is less dense and more spread out than expected. Now, astronomers believe they have an answer – a huge ancient planet, with 10 times the mass of Earth, crashed into the gas giant in the early days of the solar system.

The Sun is setting on 2018, and with so many eyes on (and in) the skies it’s been a stellar year for space photography. From mesmerizing nebulae to historic firsts to stunning views of Earth and other planets, New Atlas rounds up some of the best space photos of the year.

NASA's Juno orbiter is approaching the halfway mark of its science mission. On December 21 at 8:49:48 am PST (11:49:48 am EST), the spacecraft will complete the 16th of 32 scheduled science orbits in a flyby that will bring it within 3,140 mi (5,053 km) of the planet's cloud tops.

Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, has recently delivered a mind-bending torrent of amazing images, Over the past twelve months we have been treated to some of the best images yet including a magnificent shot of a cloud in the shape of a dolphin, swimming over the Jovian surface.

​Scientists may have discovered large amounts of water hidden deep beneath the surface of Jupiter’s famous Great Red Spot. The discovery, which was made using ground-based telescopes, opens up the possibility that extremophile lifeforms could exist in the atmosphere of the enigmatic gas giant.

NASA's Juno orbiter found that Jupiter's colored bands extend thousands of kilometers below the surface, but why do they stop where they do? A new study has put forward an explanation, describing a complex magnetic field that essentially stops these globe-circling jet streams in their tracks.

For decades, scientists have been puzzled about the giant lightning storms in Jupiter's atmosphere, but new data from NASA's Juno orbiter indicates that Jovian lightning has more in common with the terrestrial variety than previously thought.

NASA's Juno orbiter mission to Jupiter has been thrown a lifeline after the approval of a 41-month extension. The unmanned spacecraft will have additional time to complete its primary science observations, with the extra time required due to the spacecraft taking longer than planned orbits.

Having completed 10 close passes as near as 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers) above the cloud tops of Jupiter, NASA's Juno orbiter has found evidence that the famous cloud bands extend deep into the atmosphere, as well as clues to the nature of the planet's core.

​The Great Red Spot, a storm bigger than Earth, has been raging on Jupiter for centuries. We’ve known its 2D size for a long time, but after a close flyover in July, Juno has finally revealed how deep into the atmosphere the storm’s roots run.