Compressing Jupiter’s Magnetosphere

Shaped by its strong internal magnetic field and the incoming solar wind, Jupiter has the largest magnetosphere in the solar system. It also has highly active aurorae at its poles, though they are most visible in ultraviolet wavelengths. A new analysis of Juno’s data shows that on 6-7 December 2022, Jupiter’s magnetosphere got compressed, coinciding with aurorae six times brighter than usual. The compression itself came from a shock wave in the incoming solar wind. (Image credit: NASA/JPL; research credit: R. Giles et al.; via Eos)