Hoekom is die wentelende asteroïede van Jupiter belangrik?


Clyde Foster skryf: Jupiter 22 August. Maybe not a “pretty” pic, but an interesting one. It’s just a few days past Jupiters opposition, when it was both closest to Earth, as well as being directly “face-on” to us. Last night, two of Jupiters moons were transiting (left to right) across the planet, with their respective shadows trailing them. Both the size difference, as well as the nature of the surface of the two moons was evident. Ganymede is the larger moon (in fact the largest in the solar system) near the centre and has a diameter of 5268km, not that much smaller than Mars. A few of its major features are visible on its surface. Icy Europa is the smaller (just over 3000km diameter), bright moon at right. An interesting aspect of the session last night was the atmospheric conditions, where turbulence and wind in the upper atmosphere gave a mesmerising impression of water flowing over the image. Not ideal for imaging, but fascinating and beautiful in its own right. For the technically minded, the filter used was an IR>685nm.

Wat het die Trojane, die Grieke en Lucy met Jupiter te doen? Jim Adams vertel van die jongste sending met die naam Lucy. Hy vertel waarom asteroïedes wat om Jupiter wentel, belangrik is. Die asteroïedes het hulle name te dankie aan die vroeëre geskiedenis en die stryd tussen Troje en die Grieke. Jim vertel ook van die probleem wat ervaar is om een van die sonpanele van Lucy ten volle ontplooi te kry, en wat dit vir die Lucy-sending beteken.