Mark McCaughreanAug 20, 2024

That’s no moon – it’s the Moon 🌗

The first colour images from ESA JUICE’s close lunar encounter last night are out.

Taken by the monitoring cameras, both show sunlit craters & shadows on the surface with parts of the spacecraft in the foreground.

At the top of the second image, you can just make out Earth as a small dark circle, surrounded by the ring of its backlit atmosphere.

We arrive (t)here tonight 🛰️🌏

Kudos to @stim3on for the magical processing 🙇‍♂️

#JUICELEGA

Show threadMark McCaughreanAug 20, 2024

For more detail & to download the images, here are the ESA releases this morning:

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2024/08/Juice_snaps_Moon_en_route_to_Earth

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2024/08/Earth_ahead

Juice snaps Moon en route to Earth

Juice snaps Moon en route to Earth

Show threadImpertinenzijaAug 20, 2024
@markmccaughrean A pity they're still on X, but not in the fediverse. Love the pix. ^^
Show threadMark McCaughreanAug 20, 2024

@Impertinenzija Well, they’re in the Fediverse now 🙂

I’m afraid I don’t get to decide about ESA posting to The Other Place, but I definitely share your opinion 👍

Show threadImpertinenzijaAug 20, 2024
@markmccaughrean I see, they gathered Mastodon together with tons of other social apps behind the + symbol. Sometimes I really should look twice. ^^
Show threadMark McCaughrean
@Impertinenzija Oh, I just meant that I had posted them, but it’s good to know ESA is posting on Mastodon now too 👍
Aug 20, 2024 at 1:37pmIceCubesApp
Show threadImpertinenzijaAug 20, 2024
@markmccaughrean No, they're not. Sorry. My mistake. I misinterpreted that blue + button. It's for sharing the news in a proper format on each of the platforms. My guess is that huge players like ESA simply will wait out to see whatever platform emerges after the other place hopefully kicks the bucket. ^^