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 threadSimeon SchmaußAug 20, 2024
@markmccaughrean Cheers Mark! It was a pleasure to meet you and to work on these images! Already looking forward to seeing some lovely blue color tonight!
Show threadMark McCaughreanAug 20, 2024

@stim3on Outstanding work. If we can get some blues, greens, & clouds, plus those redder & purple shades on the spacecraft, it’ll be special.

Reminds me that it’s pretty much ten years since I made this image for the CIVA team using data from their camera on Philae on the side of Rosetta.

Black & white only though & I could probably do better today 🤷‍♂️

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2014/10/Rosetta_mission_selfie_at_16_km

Rosetta mission selfie at 16 km

Rosetta mission selfie at 16 km

Show threadSimeon Schmauß
@markmccaughrean Oh wow what a cool image! I didn't know that one yet.
Maybe I'll find some time in winter to dig into the Rosetta archives, seems like I've been missing out on some real gems :)
Aug 20, 2024 at 2:35pmWeb