NASA's Juno spacecraft has been orbiting Jupiter since 2016. The craft's primary missions involving studies of the gas giant itself were completed in 2018, but the project was extended to include the moons of Ganymede, Europa, and Io. Recently, the craft passed within 930 miles of the surface of Io and captured close-up images of the moon's highly volcanic northern latitudes. This animation of the fiery lake was created using that data.
The lake is named Loki Patera, in keeping with science nerds' tendency to pick cool names for things, like Ingenuity's final resting place, Valinor Hills. Early astronomers named Io, Callista, Europa, and Ganymede after Jupiter's lovers. None of Jupiter's 95 moons are named after his wife, Juno. NASA rectified this oversight by sending the Juno spacecraft to study Jupiter and its moons. Juno was also one of three LEGO minifigs placed aboard the spacecraft, along with Jupiter himself and Galileo.
However, not all of NASA's nomenclature is as clever as this spire-shaped formation is called "Steeple Mountain.
Juno will continue to orbit Jupiter until 2025, when the craft will be deorbited and burn up on reentry.
Previously: Astonishing image of Jupiter reveals never-before-seen wild weather phenomenon
