Pioneer 10’s view of Jupiter
Launched in March 1973, Pioneer 10 was the first probe to cross the asteroid belt and visit Jupiter, the largest planet in the solar system. The image above was taken when the NASA probe was 1.84 million miles (2.69 million kilometers) from Jupiter, and it’s among the first close-up images we have of the gas giant. The image, taken on December 1, 1974, shows Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, a storm measuring 25,000 miles (40,200 km) wide, among other atmospheric features.
