Jupiter's Auroras

Powerful ultraviolet, infrared, and X-ray auroras glow near Jupiter’s poles. They form when charged particles are guided by the planet’s magnetic field and collide with gases in its atmosphere. One major source of plasma for the magnetosphere is the volcanic moon Io: material from its eruptions becomes ionized and enters Jupiter’s magnetic environment. The main auroral oval is observed nearly continuously, though its brightness and structure change rapidly; individual features and moon footprints can be transient.