The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has shared a captivating image of a close-up view of Jupiter's surface, reportedly taken by the Voyager 2 spacecraft during its close approach to the planet in 1979.
"On July 9, 1979—44 years ago today—Voyager 2 made its closest approach to Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system," NASA stated in an Instagram post on Sunday, July 9.
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The spacecraft flew within less than 350,000 miles (563,000 kilometers) above the cloud tops of the gas giant, providing an intimate look at the storms that form the iconic Great Red Spot.
During a 10-hour observation period, Voyager 2 studied Jupiter's moon Io, confirming the presence of active volcanoes, and made the discovery of a previously unknown moon, later named Adrastea.
After its encounter with Jupiter, Voyager 2 went on to explore Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune, before embarking on its ongoing interstellar journey.
In 2018, the spacecraft exited the heliosphere, the protective bubble formed by the Sun, and continues to transmit valuable data from over 12 billion miles (20 billion km) away.
The remarkable close-up image of Jupiter was captured on June 29, 1979, just moments before the spacecraft's closest approach to the planet.
