APOD: 2026 October 12 – Jupiter and the Moons
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On October 12, 2026, an Astronomy Picture of the Day captured Jupiter and its moons in a spectacular display. This particular image was made possible by the positioning of Earth's Moon, which passed directly in front of Jupiter, revealing the five moons that orbit our solar system's largest planet. The photograph, taken from Westchester, New York, USA, displayed the sunlit crescent of Earth's Moon on the lower left, while its night side, illuminated by Earthshine, appeared faintly on the upper right.
Jupiter's four Galilean satellites - Ganymede, Io, Callisto, and Europa - were lined up vertically above the Moon, from bottom to top, with each moon showcasing its own unique size and characteristics. Callisto, Ganymede, and Io were larger than Earth's Moon, while Europa was only slightly smaller. The robotic spacecraft Juno, currently orbiting Jupiter, has made close passes near three of these moons.
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- APOD: 2026 October 12 – Jupiter and the Moons science.nasa.gov
