New Galileo Images Of Jupiter's Lightning, Io's Aurora To Be Unveiled

MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 
PASADENA, CALIF. 91109. TELEPHONE (818) 354-5011
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov

Contact:  Jane Platt   

INTERNET ADVISORY                         October 9, 1998

NEW GALILEO PICTURES OF JUPITER'S LIGHTNING, IO'S AURORA

New images captured by NASA's Galileo spacecraft of lightning on Jupiter, an eclipse and aurora on Jupiter's fiery moon Io, and surface features on two other Jovian moons-Europa and Callisto-will be unveiled Tuesday, October 13, at 8am Pacific time, at the following Internet addresses:

http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/galileo/sepo

The images were taken by Galileo's camera during several orbits of Jupiter, including the 15th orbit in May 1998. They include the first-ever color picture in visible light of a ghostly glow created by an aurora on Io, a phenomenon of the type observed in Earth's northern hemisphere. Other pictures show daytime and nighttime views of lightning on Jupiter, a Jovian water cloud, and volcanic hot spots on Io while Io was eclipsed by Jupiter

JPL manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. Galileo has been orbiting Jupiter and its four largest moons for more than 2-1/2 years. Its primary mission came to a successful conclusion in December 1997, and the current extension, known as Galileo Europa Mission, will continue through December 1999. The mission includes eight Europa flybys, four Callisto flybys, and one or two of Io, depending on spacecraft health.

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