Spacecraft orbiting Jupiter uncovers 'frosted cupcake' clouds

A spacecraft orbiting Jupiter has revealed “frosted cupcake” clouds covering our solar system's largest planet.

Mesmerising 3D renders taken from data captured by JunoCam, a visible-light camera on NASA’s Juno spacecraft, have enabled animations of the relative heights of the cloud tops.

The renders show delicately textured swirls and peaks that resemble the icing on top of a cupcake, according to researchers.

"The images of the wonderful chaotic storms on Jupiter seem to come to life, showing clouds rising at different altitudes," citizen scientist and professional mathematician and software developer Gerald Eichstädt said.

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