We ca n’t all afford to send our own space vehicle to Jupiter . But thanks to NASA , we ’ve buzz off the next best thing , as you could now vote on what images its Juno spacecraft takes next .
As far as we ’re aware , this is the first mission where the public has been give the chance to vote on what a spacecraft conduct pictures of . And it ’s a pretty amazing enterprisingness , letting people choose placement on Jupiter to image with the spacecraft ’s JunoCam .
The latest voter turnout get yesterday , and stay until noon EST ( 5 pm GMT ) on Monday , January 23 . The winning locations will be snap by Juno , whichentered orbitin July 2016 , as it completes its latest close flyby of Jupiter on February 2 . The space vehicle is going to fall out just 4,300 kilometre ( 2,700 miles ) above the clouds of Jupiter .
“ It is enceinte to be able to share excitement and skill from the Juno mission with the populace in this style , ” said Scott Bolton , Juno principal investigator from the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio , Texas , in astatement . “ The public involvement is really affecting how we reckon at the most massive planetary inhabitant in our Solar System . ”
To get involved , head to the balloting page for the flybyhere . You ’ll be able to pick one of a number of full point of sake that will be in perspective of the spacecraft ’s JunoCam , admit anticyclonic storms on Jupiter in the soma of white spots and Jupiter ’s south pole – which has never been see in much detail before .
The television camera itself does not have any scientific finish per se , although its images are utilitarian to the scientific discipline squad . Rather , it was include on the spacecraft as a public outreach tool . It is a visible - light camera , able-bodied to shoot wide thought of Jupiter and also close - up images of interesting features .
Each range of Juno takes 53 years to complete , and the world will be able to vote on every flyby . you may vote several clip on each orbit , and once the flyby is consummate , the cutting image will be post on the JunoCam site . What we get to see , though , is up to you .
