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Pullout of Aurora Observations on Jupiter (NIRCam Image)

A two panel image. At left, a portion of Jupiter's pole in shades of orange. At right, the entire planet is multi-colored. At the top, a region is enclosed in a white box and shows the same orange image as in the left panel.

These observations of Jupiter’s auroras (shown on the left of the above image) at 3.36 microns (F335M) were captured with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) on Dec. 25, 2023. Scientists found that the emission from trihydrogen cation, known as H3+, is far more variable than previously believed. H3+ is created by the impact of high energy electrons on molecular hydrogen. Because this emission shines brightly in the infrared, Webb’s instruments are well equipped to observe it. The image on the right shows the planet Jupiter to indicate the location of the observed auroras, which was originally published in 2023.

About the Data

  • Data Description
    Data DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
    Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.

    Image on right was created with Webb data from proposal: 1373 (I. de Pater). Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)

  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    NIRCam
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    27 July 2022, 25 December 2023
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    Left: F335M Right: F164N, F212N, F360M
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    Jupiter
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    Gas giant aurora
  • Release Date
    May 12, 2025
  • Science Release
    NASA’s Webb Reveals New Details, Mysteries in Jupiter’s Aurora
    Read the release
  • Credit
    Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Ricardo Hueso (UPV), Imke de Pater (UC Berkeley), Thierry Fouchet (Observatory of Paris), Leigh Fletcher (University of Leicester), Michael Wong (UC Berkeley), Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Jonathan Nichols (University of Leicester), Mahdi Zamani (ESA/Webb)

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A two panel image. At left, a portion of Jupiter's pole in shades of orange. At right, the entire planet is multi-colored. At the top, a region is enclosed in a white box and shows the same orange image as in the left panel.
Color Info
Color InfoA brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented.

The jupiter image on the right is a composite of separate exposures acquired by the James Webb Space Telescope using the NIRCam instrument. Three filters were used to sample narrow wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are:   Red: F360M, Green: F212N, Blue: F164N

Related Images & Videos

Three panels, each showing a close-up near-infrared image of Jupiter’s north pole, in shades of orange.

Close-up Observations of Auroras on Jupiter

These observations of Jupiter’s auroras, taken at a wavelength of 3.36 microns (F335M) were captured with Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera). Scientists found that the emission from trihydrogen cation, known as H3+, is far more variable than previously believed.

A two panel image. On the right is the planet Jupiter as seen in near-infrared light. Its clouds are dark blue and white in color, with some red spots within the clouds, while its poles are tinged with green, yellow and red. A box over the north pole is overlain with more data in shades of orange, displaying auroras as arcs and rings on the planet. To left, this area is shown larger in size and captioned “09:53:57 25 Dec. 2023”.

Pullout of Aurora Observations on Jupiter

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured new details of the auroras on our solar system’s largest planet. The dancing lights observed on Jupiter are hundreds of times brighter than those seen on Earth. These observations of Jupiter’s auroras (shown on the left of the above...

The top of Jupiter in shades of orange. A bright ribbon wraps around the planet's pole. Inside the circle formed by the ribbon is a more mottled area. Below the ribbon, the planet is much darker. A label at right reads 08 14 07 UTC 25 December 2023.

Closeup Observations of Auroras on Jupiter

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured new details of the auroras on our solar system’s largest planet. The dancing lights observed on Jupiter are hundreds of times brighter than those seen on Earth. These observations of Jupiter’s auroras at a wavelength of 3.36 microns...

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Details

Last Updated
Aug 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Laura Betz
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
laura.e.betz@nasa.gov

Image Credit

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Ricardo Hueso (UPV), Imke de Pater (UC Berkeley), Thierry Fouchet (Observatory of Paris), Leigh Fletcher (University of Leicester), Michael Wong (UC Berkeley), Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Jonathan Nichols (University of Leicester), Mahdi Zamani (ESA/Webb)

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