The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) has issued
this amazing image of Venus, taken by the Akatsuki spacecraft’s Ultraviolet
Imager (UVI) from 72,000 almost kilometres above the planet's surface. Akatsuki
was maneuvered into orbit of Venus earlier this week, with JAXA declaring the
spacecraft's "good health". It was a good news for the Japanese
mission which was unsuccessful in an effort to put Akatsuki in Venus’s orbit
back in December 2010 when a core engine failed and the spacecraft zipped past
the planet. Akatsuki has spent nearly five
years circling the sun in order to catch up with Venus and try again.
Image Credit: JAXA
You can read more about Akatsuki's mission here.