Jupiter's Auroras Observed by James Webb Telescope Reveal New Secrets

The James Webb Space Telescope has captured vast auroras on Jupiter, revealing new secrets about this stunning phenomenon. The auroras on Jupiter are hundreds of times brighter than those seen on Earth. This is due to the gas giant's enormous magnetic field. These auroras are caused when high-energy particles from the Sun get caught by Jupiter's magnetosphere. They also come from the neighboring moon Io. All these particles slam onto the planet's atmosphere at high speeds, exciting gas and causing the enormous glow. Observations taken on December 25, 2024, showed the auroral region fizzing and popping with light. The data has been published in the journal Nature Communications. Scientists also observed the emission of trihydrogen cation (H3+) that are created in auroras. Interestingly, the light observed by Webb did not correspond to those made using the Hubble telescope. The astronomers will study the discrepancy in data of Hubble and Webb to learn more about Jupiter's extreme atmosphere.