Planetary Impressionism

While the pictures snapped by planetary spacecraft provide a great deal of scientific insight, they can provide a great deal of artistic appeal as well. This enhanced-color composite of Jupiter, from the Voyager 1 spacecraft in 1979, shows the Great Red Spot, a storm system that is about twice as wide as Earth, as well as smaller storms around it. It also shows bands of clouds that encircle the planet. The lighter bands represent higher clouds, while the darker bands are gaps in the clouds, allowing scientists to see much deeper into the giant planet's atmosphere. Yet the image also has the quality of an Impressionist painting, providing an ethereal view of the turbulent planet. [NASA/JPL]