NASA has released new, up-close images captured by the space agency's Juno spacecraft of Jupiter's iconic Great Red Spot.

The spacecraft has spent the last year orbiting the gas giant, capturing images and sending them back to eager scientists hoping to learn more about the planet.

On Monday, the spacecraft came closer to the giant red spot than ever before, flying just 5,600 miles above the iconic 350-year-old storm that packs winds of up to 400 miles per hour and is 10,000 miles wide.

If social media is any indication, the images are thrilling scientists and laymen alike. Many are even taking a stab at processing the original black and white images with color.

At the end of its mission in 2018, Juno will deliberately dive into Jupiter's atmosphere and disintegrate. Scientists planned the spacecraft's purposeful demise to prevent any chance of accidentally crashing into the planet's potentially habitable moons.

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