                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2022 April 27

                           Moon Shadow on Jupiter
   Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS; Processing & License: Thomas
                                 Thomopoulos

   Explanation: What is that large dark spot on Jupiter? It's the shadow
   of Ganymede, Jupiter's largest moon. When Jupiter's moons cross between
   the Jovian giant and the Sun, they created shadows just like when the
   Earth's moon crosses between the Earth and the Sun. Also like on Earth,
   if you were in a dark shadow on Jupiter, you would see a moon
   completely eclipse the Sun. Unlike on Earth, moon shadows occur most
   days on Jupiter -- what's more unusual is that a spacecraft was close
   enough to record one with a high-resolution image. That spacecraft,
   Juno, was passing so close to Jupiter in late February that nearby
   clouds and the dark eclipse shadow appear relatively large. Juno has
   made many discoveries about our Solar System's largest planet,
   including, recently, rapidly expanding circular auroras.

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