Halloween celebrations are not limited to our planet alone: Jupiter is joining in the fun as well.
The Space Picture of the Week
This iconic image has been brought to us by NASA’s Juno space probe, which keeps a close watch on the largest planet in our solar system. As depicted in the photo, we encounter cloud bands and storms close to Jupiter’s day-night boundary. If your eyes catch the intricate patterns, you’ll probably spot two black eyes, a nose, and a mouth quite promptly.
You’re not alone if you’ve experienced the phenomenon of spotting faces in lifeless objects, like the scowling face of a house, a startled-looking bowling ball, or a spooky face on Jupiter. Scientists refer to this occurrence as ‘pareidolia’. Also, it is a common trait of the human brain to seek recognition in everything around us. This instinct comes in useful when identifying shapes that could be potential threats, such as the silhouette of a predator. However, in the case of this eerie monster on Jupiter, the brain slightly overreacts, wrongly associating or recognizing a pattern.
The Photographer Behind the Shot
The photograph was taken by citizen scientist Vladimir Tarasov using raw data from the JunoCam instrument. Captured on September 7, 2023, when Juno was about 7,700 kilometers above Jupiter’s cloud tops. If you’re interested in tinkering with data from this spacecraft, visit Juno’s website and explore its archives.
