In 2016, a major event in the Solar system exploration is going to take place: the arrival of a new space proble around Jupiter : JUNO. This should take place during the summer of 2016 and it will be the first since the Galileo orbiter (1996-2003). Scientists ask amateurs for their contribution to the study…
Why amateur images?
In the context of the revival of pro/am cooperation in planetary studies, amateur data is important from several points of view:
1) To prepare the job of the probe before its arrival, in order to identify what interesting structures must be followed in first place. Jupiter is indeed a planet that must observed on a long-term basis, and despite its high resolution, Juno will have to fit into this long-running history.
2) Helping to “context” the orbiter images, that will be in a too narrow angle of view for this job.
3) To contribute to the fine study of structures, by imaging them when they are out of view from Juno cameras.
How to participate?
By taking images as usual, from various filters if possible. Images will be uploaded on the following webpage:
JUNO Planning
To my eyes there are two interesting features to note:
1) Contributors can help scientists to save time of analisis by using a new functionality of WinJupos, called the “Transmission package”. The idea is to upload the image in the software and making a measurement of it (Recording>Image measurement), and thereafter to go to the “Misc” onglet and to click on “Create transmission package”). This will save the useful parameters of the image. Refer to the side illustration.
2) It is possible as well to send non processed images (stacked, but not wavelet-processed). This is easy to do under WinJupos by making first a measurement of a completely processed issue of the image, and then re-uploading the non-processed version under the same parameters.
Some further help
A help file in PDF is available on the Juno website
And you can as well read the oral intervention of Marc Delcroix and Glenn Orton (from JPL) made during the 2015 EPSC in Nantes: How amateurs can support the JUNO mission
