NASA’s Juno Spacecraft Flies Past Io and Jupiter, With Music by Vangelis

On May 16, 2023, NASA’s Juno spacecraft flew past Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io, and then the gas giant soon after. Io is the most volcanically active body in the solar system. Slightly larger than Earth’s moon, Io is a world in constant torment. Not only is the biggest planet in the solar system forever pulling at it gravitationally, but so are its Galilean siblings – Europa and the biggest moon in the solar system, Ganymede. The result is that Io is continuously stretched and squeezed, actions linked to the creation of the lava seen erupting from its many volcanoes.

This rendering provides a “starship captain” point of view of the flyby, using images from JunoCam. For both targets, Io and Jupiter, raw JunoCam images were reprojected into views similar to the perspective of a consumer camera. The Io flyby and the Jupiter approach movie were rendered separately and composed into a synchronous split-screen video.

Launched on Aug. 5, 2011, Juno embarked on a 5-year journey to Jupiter. Its mission: to probe beneath the planet's dense clouds and answer questions about the origin and evolution of Jupiter, our solar system, and giant planets in general across the cosmos. Juno arrived at the gas giant on July 4, 2016, after a 1.7-billion-mile journey, and settled into a 53-day polar orbit stretching from just above Jupiter’s cloud tops to the outer reaches of the Jovian magnetosphere. Now in its extended mission, NASA’s most distant planetary orbiter continues doing flybys of Jupiter and its moons.
The video is a must-watch for anyone interested in space exploration or space photography. It is also a great way to experience the beauty and wonder of the Jovian system.

Here is a more detailed description of the video:

The video begins with a shot of Juno approaching Io. The moon’s active volcanoes are clearly visible, and the smoke from the eruptions is billowing into space. Juno then flies past Jupiter, and the viewer is treated to a close-up view of the planet’s swirling clouds.

The video also includes footage of Juno’s shadow passing across Io and Jupiter. This footage is particularly striking, as it shows the scale of the two celestial bodies.

The video is accompanied by music by Vangelis. The music is slow and atmospheric, and it helps to create a sense of awe and wonder.

The video ends with a shot of Juno flying away from Io and Jupiter. The viewer is left with a sense of the vastness and beauty of the solar system.

Overall, the video is a stunning and inspiring look at Jupiter and its moons. It is a must-watch for anyone interested in space exploration or space photography.