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NASA’s Juno mission has discovered a world of cyclones at Jupiter’s north Jovian pole, a region of cooler stratospheric haze. The cyclones drift to the pole through a process the researchers refer to as “beta drift” via JunoCam and Jovian Infrared Aurora Mapper. The cyclones oscillate around their centres and can drift clockwise around the pole. Juno has also been making recurring flybys of the innermost Jovian moon, Io, revealing evidence of subterranean magma flows below its surface. These cooling flows could explain how Io’s volcanoes erupt, as about 10% of the moon’s subsurface has these flows.

Juno Spots Colliding Jupiter Cyclones and Magma Beneath Io’s Surface

As per the data presented by NASA at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly on April 29, Juno has observed a large central cyclone over 1,800 miles wide, encircled by eight slightly smaller cyclones. These weather systems, blowing at speeds over 100 miles per hour, interact through a phenomenon called beta drifts — similar to Earth’s cyclones but progressing to Jupiter’s pole.

Once enabled, researchers could visualise both visible and thermal activity in Jupiter’s atmosphere. The cyclones stabilise one another and slowly push in the same direction around the pole—in a clockwise direction, as the researchers noted. Jupiter’s cyclones differ from those on Earth since they do not weaken over time at the poles, when the planet has a different atmospheric makeup.

At the same time, exploring Io with Juno has made another discovery: that beneath the surface of the moon lie hidden flows of magma. By pairing infrared and microwave data, scientists picked up warm lava from a large eruption on Dec. 27, 2024. The volcano remained active through Juno’s next flyby in March and is expected to erupt again in May. These discoveries mark the most energetic volcanic eruption ever observed on Io.

The detection of subsurface magma confirms Io’s surface is constantly being renewed. Scientists calculate that 10% of the moon’s interior contains slowly cooling lava. These lava flows help transport heat from Io’s interior to the surface.

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NASA’s Juno Probe Faces Silence as Mission Ends Amid Government Shutdown

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NASA’s Juno probe, orbiting Jupiter since 2016, may have stopped operating after its latest extension expired during the U.S. government shutdown. The mission, which unveiled Jupiter’s interior, polar storms, and moons, awaits confirmation—though NASA cannot verify its status until funding and communications resume.

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Perseverance Spots Possible Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS Over Martian Sky

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A mysterious streak seen by NASA’s Perseverance rover over Mars may be comet 3I/ATLAS, an interstellar object flying past the planet in early October. Though unconfirmed, the sighting aligns with its predicted path, raising excitement over a possible first observation of an interstellar comet from another world.

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Tiny Asteroid 2025 TF Zooms Past Earth Undetected, Closer Than Satellites

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A small asteroid named 2025 TF surprised astronomers after flying only 265 miles above Antarctica, lower than many satellites. Detected post-passage by ESA, it underscores the challenge of spotting small, fast-moving space rocks before they come close to Earth.

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