2016-17, report no.15: Preview of Juno’s Perijove-8

By John Rogers

Juno’s perijove-8 (PJ8) will be on Sep.1, and voting has just opened for the JunoCam targets. As usual, you can vote on the JunoCam web page for any three of the available targets:

https://www.missionjuno.swri.edu/junocam/voting?id=6

Here is a predictive map for PJ8, rolled forward from one that Michel Jacquesson has made covering July 24-28, and here are my ‘top tips’ for voting this time round.

1. The NEBn: a cluster of new barges and ovals. These have formed during this year’s rapid NEB expansion event, and now seem to be stabilising; they may be about to form a regular array, possibly with a new barge forming. It’s not clear which spot(s) will be in the field of view but it will be an interesting image. [POI: ‘Location Stargate’ (ID 1083) or ‘NCC-1701-E’ (ID 260)]

2. The STB Ghost. The east end of this long-lived cyclonic circulation should be in view, and could show beautiful patterns like the STB Spectre viewed at PJ5. It would be worthwhile confirming and comparing the appearances, as the Ghost is older and is now approaching the complex region following oval BA. As at PJ5, the best view would be from a higher latitude so as to get more of the Ghost in the field of view; it's worth getting this as well as the closest view. [POI for best overview: ‘Coolest place on Jupiter’ (ID 1200). POI for closest view: ‘STB Ghost east end’ (ID 1246) (or ‘Eye of Odin’, ID 1175).]

3. The NNTB. There seems to be a small turbulent region (FFR) here, which should look beautiful, and there may also be dark vortices on the NNTBs jet stream, fairly close to their source. [POI: ‘Turbulent sector of the NNTB’ (ID 1247)]

4. High northern latitudes. We didn’t view these thoroughly at PJ7 and they are always spectacular, and the bland zone (N6 domain) deserves another close look. A long-lived white oval in the N4 domain might be in view. [POI: ‘North Pole’ (ID 1139), actually latitude 58ºN]

5. South Polar region. An image at ~70 S, 30 mins before the image that will be taken at south pole crossing, will assist study of the special dynamics around the south pole. [POI: ‘South Polar region’ (ID 1248)]