The Webb and Hubble Telescopes Observed Jupiter’s Auroras at the Same Time. The Problem: They Saw Different Things

Jupiter is renowned for its enormous size and perpetual storms, featuring phenomena such as the Great Red Spot, polar cyclones, and bands of clouds. However, Jupiter’s auroras are equally impressive. The James Webb Space Telescope has observed them in greater detail.

A Christmas gift. In a recent study published in Nature Communications, stunning images captured on Dec. 25, 2023 show bright auroras on Jupiter. The images were taken by the Webb telescope’s NIRCam camera.

The Jovian auroras are incredibly brighter and more energetic than those on Earth. Earth’s auroras are powered primarily by charged particles from the solar wind. Meanwhile, Jupiter’s auroras are also fueled by volcanic material ejected from its active moon, Io.

Hyperactive activity. Researchers conducting the observations were in for a surprise when they analyzed the data. They expected to see slow, gradual changes in the auroras. Instead, the team discovered “the whole auroral region fizzing and popping with light,” creating a hyperactive spectacle “varying by the second.”

“What a Christmas present that was–it just blew me away!” co-author Jonathan Nichols said.

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Mystery unraveled. To complete the study, the team coordinated the Webb observations in the infrared spectrum with simultaneous observations from the Hubble Space Telescope in the ultraviolet spectrum. Interestingly, the brightest lights captured by Webb in Jupiter’s atmosphere had no counterpart in the Hubble images.

Webb concentrated on emissions from trihydrogen cation, a molecule that glows brightly in the infrared when high-energy electrons collide with molecular hydrogen. However, producing the combination of glows observed by both telescopes would require a massive influx of very low-energy particles striking Jupiter’s atmosphere. Until now, this was considered virtually impossible.

What’s next? The team plans to conduct an in-depth investigation of the differences between the data collected by the Webb and Hubble telescopes. Researchers will also study the implications of these findings for Jupiter’s environment. Upcoming observations from Webb will be compared with data from NASA’s Juno probe to help uncover the source of the emission.

These findings will inform the European Space Agency’s Juice mission, which is currently traveling to Jupiter. Upon arrival, seven of Juice’s instruments, including its two cameras, will focus on studying auroras on Jupiter. Detailed measurements will enhance astronomers’ understanding of how the planet’s magnetic field interacts with its atmosphere and its moon Io.

Image | NASA/ESA/CSA

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