March 29, 2024

Hubble telescope’s annual ‘grand tour’ tracks changes in outer solar system

Related: The solar system: A guide to things orbiting our sunNew images from NASAs Hubble Space Telescope capture sensational views of the external worlds Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, as part of this years “grand tour” of the solar system. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (NASA-GSFC), and M. H. Wong (UC Berkeley); Image Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI))This years view of Jupiters ever-changing environment shows a number of brand-new storms and color differences near the planets equator. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (NASA-GSFC), and M. H. Wong (UC Berkeley); Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI))Hubbles newest view of Saturn, taken on Sept. 12, records the planets northern hemisphere going into early autumn. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (NASA-GSFC), and M. H. Wong (UC Berkeley); Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI))Similarly, Uranus and Neptune reveal changes, too. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (NASA-GSFC), and M. H. Wong (UC Berkeley); Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI))Meanwhile, Neptunes northern hemisphere is darker than normal and shows a huge storm, represented by the dark spot in an image caught by Hubble on Sept. 7.

(Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (NASA-GSFC), and M. H. Wong (UC Berkeley); Image Processing: J. DePasquale (STScI))This years view of Jupiters ever-changing environment reveals numerous new storms and color distinctions near the worlds equator. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (NASA-GSFC), and M. H. Wong (UC Berkeley); Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI))Hubbles newest view of Saturn, taken on Sept. 12, catches the planets northern hemisphere getting in early fall. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (NASA-GSFC), and M. H. Wong (UC Berkeley); Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI))Meanwhile, Neptunes northern hemisphere is darker than usual and reveals a huge storm, represented by the dark area in an image recorded by Hubble on Sept. 7.