NASA’s spacecraft Juno left Earth nearly 5 years ago, and on the evening of July 4, it finally reached its destination, entering Jupiter’s orbit.

NASA’s spacecraft Juno left Earth nearly 5 years ago, and on the evening of July 4, it finally reached its destination, entering Jupiter’s orbit. 

Just prior to its exciting arrival, Juno engaged in a 35-minute main engine burn, which slowed the craft to a traveling speed of roughly 1,200 miles per hour. 

That allowed the solar-powered wonder to get pulled close enough to the gas giant to begin the rotation. 

Over the next 20 months, Juno will circle the very large planet 37 times. 

As it does so, the advanced equipment on the craft will, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, “…investigate the planet's origins, interior structure, deep atmosphere and magnetosphere.” 

It will also no doubt provide us with a multitude of dazzling images. 

If everything goes as planned, those will include the first pictures of Jupiter’s poles as viewed from directly above. 

At the 2018 conclusion of Juno’s mission, the craft will descend to the planet’s surface, which will be its final resting place.