There is a large dark smudge on Jupiter. It may remind you of a scene from the sci-fi film, 2010: The Year We Make Contact, where a black spot appears in Jupiter's atmosphere.
The dark spot in the photo is a shadow of the largest moon in Jupiter.
When Jupiter's moons cross between the gas giant and the Sun, they create shadows as well.
This view of Jupiter was captured by NASA's Juno spacecraft during its 40th close pass by the giant planet.
The image was taken by the camera on the craft and processed by a citizen scientist.
People around the world are actively participating in science investigation through the public outreach project.
Citizen scientists have processed the stunning images taken by JunoCam, as well as developing time-lapse movies, measuring wind flow, and looking for lightning flashes.
Brian Swift created a graphic showing the approximate geometry of the visible area, projected onto a globe of Jupiter.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Brian Swift
A globe of Jupiter has the approximate geometry of the shadow of Ganymede projected onto it.
The image was taken at a latitude of 55 degrees south and a distance of 666,000 miles from the sun.
You would experience a total eclipse of the Sun if you were lucky enough to be an observer at Jupiter's cloud tops.
NASA says that there are more total eclipses on Jupiter than on Earth. Jupiter has four large moons that pass between it and the Sun in a seven day period.
The moon shadows are cast upon the planet because Jupiter's moons are in a plane close to the planet.
Even amateur telescopes on Earth can see Jupiter's moons and their shadows. John Chumack took this image.
John Chumack.
Jupiter had a black shadow cast on its clouds by its moon.
The public can view and process the raw images here. There are other citizen science projects at NASA.
The article was published by Universe Today. The original article is worth a read.
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