Close-up of Dark Side of Jupiter Moon Ganymede

Image of the dark side of Jupiter's moon Ganymede
June 8, 2021
CreditNASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI
Historical DateJune 7, 2021
PIA NumberPIA24682
Language
  • english

This image of the dark side of the Jovian moon Ganymede was obtained by the Stellar Reference Unit star camera aboard NASA's Juno spacecraft during its June 7, 2021, flyby of the icy moon.

Usually used to the spacecraft on course, the navigation camera was able to obtain an image of the moon's dark side (the side opposite the Sun) because it was bathed in the dim light scattered off Jupiter; the camera operates exceptionally well in low-light conditions.

More information about Juno is at https://www.nasa.gov/juno and https://missionjuno.swri.edu.