NASA's Juno spacecraft data shows striking similarities between Jupiter and Earth

The Juno spacecraft has been observing the planet for many years now.

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NASA's Juno spacecraft has chronicled some breathtaking images of Jupiter, making it easy for astronomers to understand how the planet works. Latest study claims that the storms on the planet are way deeper than previously assumed and the lightning is similar to what we see on Earth.

 
NASA's Juno probe data shows similarities between Jupiter and Earth

Now, the data sent by Juno shows another aspect of the gas giant which is similar to the Earth. The readings of the magnetic field differ from the previous observations made by past missions. This also means that the planet's magnetic field is changing, which is similar to what has been observed with Earth's magnetic field.

 

"Finding something as minute as these changes in something so immense as Jupiter's magnetic field was a challenge," said Juno scientist Kimee Moore. "Having a baseline of close-up observations over four decades long provided us with just enough data to confirm that Jupiter's magnetic field does indeed change over time."

Those small changes show that Jupiter experiences a phenomenon called the secular variation, which has been observed on our planet. For Earth, the secular variation is attributed to the changes happening deep below the surface, while on Jupiter, it's believed that intense winds below the clouds could be the main reason for the changes.

It's an important discovery for the astronomers who are still learning about the Earth's own magnetic field, and the Juno team plans to continue to observe the changes in the magnetic field of the gas giant.

Previously, NASA's Hubble Telescope found more evidence of water on the surface of Jupiter's icy moon Europa. It is one of the 50 moons orbiting the gas giant and is also considered to be a "top candidate" for life elsewhere in the solar system.

The space agency sees Jupiter's moon as a potential candidate to sustain life because it is believed to have a massive, salty, subsurface ocean that is twice the size that are seen on our planet.

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