It’s the closest a spacecraft has gotten to the icy moon in 20 years.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS
In June, NASA’s Juno spacecraft flew by Jupiter and its moon Ganymede. Its cameras captured the vibrant surface of the gas giant and the icy exterior of its orbiting neighbor.
NASA via Giphy
It takes the spacecraft almost 15 hours to travel between the two bodies — a distance of 735,000 miles.
Ganymede’s rough, icy surface up close.
The moon in full view.
Jupiter’s turbulent atmosphere can be seen here in swirling colors.
Up close and personal with Jupiter.
Here's another shot of the gas giant's diverse, colorful regions.
Juno is set to stay in space until 2025. In due time, we’ll probably see even more stunning imagery of the gas giant and its moons.
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