                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                               2026 January 6
   The planet Jupiter is shown from an unusual angle. Most prominent are a
      miasma of jumbled and swirling clouds including many oval storms.
          Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                Jupiter's Clouds in High Definition from Juno
   Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS; Processing & License: Thomas
                                 Thomopoulos

   Explanation: How complex is Jupiter? NASA's Juno mission to Jupiter is
   finding the Jovian giant to be more complicated than expected.
   Jupiter's magnetic field has been discovered to be much different from
   our Earth's simple dipole field, showing several poles embedded in a
   complicated network more convoluted in the north than the south.
   Further, Juno's radio measurements show that Jupiter's atmosphere shows
   structure well below the upper cloud deck -- even hundreds of
   kilometers deep. Jupiter's newfound complexity is evident also in
   southern clouds, as shown in the texture and color enhanced featured
   image taken last month. There, planet-circling zones and belts that
   dominate near the equator decay into a complex miasma of
   continent-sized storm swirls. Juno continues in its looping elliptical
   orbit, swooping near the huge planet every month and exploring a
   slightly different sector each time around.

                      Tomorrow's picture: noodle space
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       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
                  NASA Web Privacy, Accessibility, Notices;
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

