Why Lightning on Jupiter is a Planetary Unsolved Mystery
Skip to main content DONATE JOIN MENU Why Lightning on Jupiter is a Planetary Unsolved Mystery Jupiter is an extraordinarily beautiful and deeply chaotic world. Its weather lacks subtlety in the best way. NASA’s Juno spacecraft has been investigating the planet for nearly five years, revealing new depths to the drama and splendor of this profoundly strange place. It’s also shed light on some of the planet’s biggest atmospheric mysteries, including the unusual nature of Jupiter’s lightning. As Juno gears up for its extended mission beginning in August 2021, it’s worth taking a look back at why Jupiter’s lightning remains one of its most fascinating enigmas. Wait, there’s lightning on Jupiter? Yes, but for a long time, no one knew for certain. In fact, until 1979, lightning on Jupiter was just a hypothesis; its existence wasn’t confirmed until NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft picked up radio signals typically indicative of lightning. There was just one catc...
