Why are magnetometers sent to other planets

For the best experience, please enable Javascript. Looks like you're using an older browser. For the best experience possible, please upgrade your browser or download a modern browser. The Juno spacecraft passes in front of Jupiter in this artist's depiction. Juno, the second mission in NASA's New Frontiers program, will improve our understanding of the solar system by advancing studies of the origin and evolution of Jupiter. The spacecraft will carry eight instruments to investigate the existence of a solid planetary core, map Jupiter's intense magnetic field, measure the amount of water and ammonia in the deep atmosphere, and observe the planet's auroras.

JPL's lucky peanuts are an unofficial tradition at big mission events. Full Moon Guide: October - November Full Moon Guide: September - October Voyager 2 made its closest approach to Saturn on Aug. The mission revealed a planet so phenomenal scientists had to go back. Full Moon Guide: August - September The next full Moon goes by many names including the Buck Moon.

Full Moon Guide: July — August Hubble Sees Changing Seasons on Saturn. Saturn and Jupiter's Great Conjunction. Skywatchers are in for a treat soon as Jupiter and Saturn appear to merge into what's become popularly known as the "Christmas Star. The Great Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn. Tips for photographing the sky during December's conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. How to Photograph the Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter.

New research on nine craters on Saturn's largest moon Titan provides details about how weathering affects the surface — and what lies beneath. If there is an ambient field present, the sensors will go into saturation more quickly in one direction than the other. It's the imbalance that reveals the presence of an ambient field.

Unlike Earth's global magnetic field, which surrounds the entire planet, Mars only has patches of magnetic field left in its crust.

This can create pockets of atmosphere that are protected against solar wind and others that are left vulnerable. By measuring sections of the planet's magnetic field, the magnetometer could help scientists create a bigger picture of the planet's overall atmosphere.

The magnetometer works with the other instruments from this package to gather data throughout the course of the projected yearlong orbit around the planet. The spacecraft will go into orbit and pass closely over the planet's surface and then move further away to study solar wind beyond the planet's influence.