Galileo Enters Orbit Around Jupiter
Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter on December 7, 1995.
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The Event
Galileo entered orbit around Jupiter on December 7, 1995. An atmospheric probe also descended into the planet that day.
The Wider Story
The mission combined direct atmospheric measurements with a long program of orbital observations. The probe and orbiter had different roles and lifetimes.
Putting the Event in Perspective
The atmospheric probe did not land on a solid surface.
Reading the Historical Record
A visual should distinguish the small descending instrument from the spacecraft that remained in orbit.
About the Historical Recreation
The accompanying visual is an illustrative reconstruction: an illustrative Galileo orbiter above Jupiter and a distant descending atmospheric probe. It is not authentic archival footage, an eyewitness record or additional evidence for the event.
Sources
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