View larger. | In this animated gif, it's as if you're riding on the Juno spacecraft as it approaches Jupiter in its 53-day, highly elliptical orbit around the planet. An orbit adjustment this week has ensured the solar-powered spacecraft won't end its mission in Jupiter's shadow in November. Read more. Here, you can see Jupiter's rings and auroras. The distant sun is depicted as the yellow dot rising up just to the left of the planet. Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI.
This week, NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter successfully executed a 10.5-hour propulsive maneuver. It'll keep Juno - a solar-powered spacecraft - out of a mission-ending shadow due to have been cast by Jupiter onto the craft in November. Read more.
October’s Draconid meteor shower – sometimes called the Giacobinids – will likely peak at nightfall or early evening on October 8, under a moon-drenched sky. Read more.
Tonight, the moon has moved away from Jupiter in our sky, pursuing its endless orbit eastward around Earth. But you'll still notice Jupiter as the bright object near the moon Friday evening. Plus the moon is now moving toward Saturn and will be closest to that planet Saturday evening.
Early Wednesday morning, Alex Ustick captured the launch of Minuteman III - an unarmed test missile - from Vandenberg Air Force Base in Lompoc, California. Thank you, Alex!
