Space is a bit of a crazy concept. The idea that there is so much more beyond the planet we live in is undeniably fascinating. It’s normally only when we’re able to glimpse those faraway planets in space with our own eyes that we can truly comprehend the ginormous scale of the universe.

Right now, when we’re so caught up in the goings-on of our world, being able to step back and mentally take ourselves to another place is as good as therapy. And that’s why NASA’s newly-released high-definition photos of Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, have proved so popular.

Here are 12 of the most beautiful images:

1. Starry Night

Planet or Van Gogh’s “Starry Night”? We really can’t be sure. But Jupiter’s really selling itself here – what planet wouldn’t want to look like a timeless work of art?

2. The South Pole

This image captures the vivid blue of Jupiter’s South Pole. Those white swirly things are the intricate cloud formations that hang over the planet. Turns out the world isn’t the only planet to get “weather”.

3. The Moon Shadow

Jupiter has its own moon, lo, which also happens to be volcanically active. Here you can see its shadow cast across the planet. The image was taken from NASA’s very own Juno spacecraft.

4. The Sahara Red

Jupiter is a planet of many colors, as proven by this shot of the planet’s Southern hemisphere. The big red spot on the South-East of the planet is a particularly striking feature of the planet.

5. The Swirling Clouds

Again, we’re reminded of a famous Van Gogh painting when looking at this image. The swirling clouds make up a good part of Jupiter’s Northern hemisphere. They’re certainly a breath-taking sight.

6. The South Pole #2

This shot of Jupiter’s South Pole was taken by NASA’s Juno spacecraft from an altitude of 32,000 miles. The ovals you can see are called cyclones, and their diameter reaches up to 600 miles. Impressive stuff.

7. The Jet Stream

There’s plenty of interesting stuff happening in Jupiter every minute of the day. Here’s a photo of one of the jet streams on the Northern hemisphere of the planet. It’s fondly known as “Jet N3”.

8. The Storm

One of the many, many reasons why Jupiter is inhabitable to humans is displayed in this image. The swirling clouds are a sign of a dynamic storm, which is happening in Jupiter’s Northern Polar region. Once again, this was captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft.

9. The Merging Storms

One giant storm isn’t enough for Jupiter, clearly. This image has captured two storms merging above the planet. You can see the thick, white clouds beginning to join together. That’s not something we’d want to get caught up in.

10. The Cloud Patterns

The reason why Jupiter looks so beautiful from outer space is largely down to its swirling cloud patterns. The planet would look pretty plain without them dominating space with their circular formations.

11. The Current Jupiter

On Feb 17, 2020, NASA’s Juno made its most recent visit to the planet. It captured this image, featuring the southern hemisphere of Jupiter. It’s still looking as beautiful as ever.

12. The Cloud Towers

This image was captured by NASA’s Juno spacecraft at an altitude of 7,990 miles, back in May 2017. These tiny cloud formations are actually known as cloud towers, and can reach up to 30 miles in width and height. They’re made up of ammonia ice and water, and can sometimes even produce lightning.

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: Bored Panda, NASA