Planetary Picture of the Day
Week of December 5, 2022
Astonishing planets, moons, and the pillars of creation
Monday, December 5, 2022
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, W. M. Keck Observatory. A. Pagan (STScI)
Science: Webb Titan GTO Team
JWST and Titan
This absolutely stunning view of Saturn's largest moon Titan was made from infrared observations acquired with JWST on November 4, 2022. The two white areas near its top limb are clouds, likely methane, that have formed near its northern "lakes region.
NOTE about the "blur": This image is not actually blurry. Titan is surrounded by an atmosphere made of an organic haze. In the visible light, you would just see an orange globe, but here, we can see some of the surface thanks to the infrared JWST.
Tuesday, December 6, 2022
Credit: NASA
Earth and Moon System
On November 28, 2022, NASA's Orion spacecraft reached its maximum distance from Earth during the Artemis I mission, when it was 432,210 kilometers away from our home planet. Orion has now traveled farther than any other spacecraft built for humans.
Wednesday, December 7, 2022
Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI
Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer (STScI)
Pillars in Infrared
The Pillars of Creation appear in a fuller palette of infrared light, thanks to NASA James Webb! Near-infrared captures stars that are fully formed and still emerging from these spires. Mid-infrared light reveals the dust.
Thursday, December 8, 2022
Credit: UAESA, MBRSC, LASP, EMM-EXI, Jason Major
A Hopeful Red Planet
Mars as captured by the Hope spacecraft.
Friday, December 9, 2022
Credit: USGS
Venus on Earth?
This screen capture from a USGS webcam on the north rim of the Mokuʻāweoweo caldera finds Hawaii's Mauna Loa volcano looking like Venus in the early stages of eruption on November 29, 2022. "Mauna Loa" means "Long Mountain" and is so named because the volcano extends for about 120 km from the southern tip of the island to the summit caldera and then to the coastline near Hilo.
