(CNN)The Hubble space telescope peers hundreds, thousands, millions of light-years into the universe to study novas, quasars and nebulas. But weeks ago, it pulled its focus way in close -- to just light-minutes away -- to view a rare and beautiful spectacle at the planet Jupiter. Three big moons crossed past it at the same time, casting their shadows onto Jupiter's swirling surface. From the perspective of people theoretically standing on Jupiter, it would be like three solar eclipses happening at once, astronomers said. In the last 15 years, this has happened only twice, the Space Telescope Science Institute said. "The next one will be 2032," said astronomer Carol Christian.
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Three of Jupiter's four great moons crossed its sunny side in January
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That's rare; it has happened only twice in the last 15 years
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Hubble's images are primarily for aesthetic purposes, a gift to the public
There was no great scientific gain in @placeholder taking the snaps.