The band of light at center in this image is the first photographic evidence of Jupiter's rings. Because Voyager 1 was moving and the photo's exposure was over 11 minutes, the background stars appear as zigzaggy streaks. Credit: NASA/JPL
A year and a half into a historic journey that continues today, Voyager 1 was exploring Jupiter. The probe had begun studying the jovian system in April 1978, and by March 4, 1979, was nearing its closest approach to the planet. Among the many images taken during the flyby was a single targeted image with an exposure of 11 minutes and 12 seconds. Researchers planned this photo to investigate radiation phenomenon recorded previously by Pioneer 10 and 11 that had suggested solid matter near the planet’s equator. The resulting photo revealed our first view of one of Jupiter’s rings – features so thin and faint they had never been seen from Earth.
