NASA's Juno Mission Achieves Historic Close Encounter with Jupiter's Moon Thebe
NASA’S Juno Makes Closest Ever Approach To Jupiter’s Moon Of Thebe

Image: Universe Today
NASA's Juno spacecraft has made its closest approach to Jupiter's moon Thebe, coming within 5,000 kilometers. The mission captured unprecedented images revealing a large crater covering 40% of Thebe's surface, shedding light on the moon's mysterious composition and potential origins.
- 01Thebe is just under 100 kilometers in diameter and orbits Jupiter at a distance of about 222,000 kilometers.
- 02The large crater observed is potentially named Zephys, after Thebe's mythological husband.
- 03Juno's images were taken using the Stellar Reference Unit camera, previously used for capturing high-resolution images of other Galilean moons.
- 04Thebe's gravity is nearly equal to the theoretical Roche limit, allowing dust on its surface to escape easily.
- 05The formation of Jupiter's gossamer ring is believed to be due to dust shedding from Thebe and another moon, Amalthea.
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NASA's Juno mission has successfully made the closest approach to Jupiter's moon Thebe, reaching a distance of just 5,000 kilometers. This encounter yielded high-resolution images, revealing a large crater that covers approximately 40% of Thebe's surface. Thebe, which has a diameter of just under 100 kilometers, lies on the outer edge of Jupiter's gossamer ring. The images were captured using Juno's Stellar Reference Unit camera, which has previously provided detailed views of other moons in the Jovian system. The crater observed is likely named Zephys, after Thebe's mythological husband. The gravitational forces acting on Thebe suggest that dust can easily escape its surface, contributing to the formation of Jupiter's gossamer ring alongside another moon, Amalthea. This close encounter enhances our understanding of Thebe's composition and evolutionary history, although many mysteries remain, particularly regarding its origin and density. The Juno mission continues to provide valuable insights into the dynamics of Jupiter's complex system.
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