Jupiter Gains New Red Spot

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/05/080523-jupiter-spot-photo.html

May 23, 2008—A new hot-hued storm spot (far left) churns away on Jupiter on May 9 and 10, when the Hubble Space Telescope took the images that were combined to create this picture, which was released yesterday.

The "baby" storm is the gas giant's third red spot, after the Great Red Spot (at center-right) and Red Spot, Jr (lower left). The new spot's size has not been announced. The Great Red Spot is roughly as wide as the entire Earth.

Jupiter's newest "blemish" used to be a white oval-shaped storm but turned brick red as its clouds rose and reacted to solar UV radiation. The advent of yet another red spot in Jupiter's turbulent atmosphere may support the idea that the planet is undergoing climate change.

Fluid-mechanics professor Philip Marcus of the University of California predicted in 2004 that rising temperatures would destabilize Jupiter's jet streams and give rise to more vortices.

Where's the Clearasil?

:rofl:

PB

Easy access to cool shit like this.

...for everyone to read or watch...

watch out!

And the graphic is very, very Van Gogh! Thanks for the post - passing along to my science-and-space fanatic hubby!

K&R

On Jupiter?

No anthropogenic signal there.

Seriously??

:eyes:

I was always taught that it was about 3 times as wide as Earth, did it shrink in the last 20 years?

And when did Red Spot Jr. show up? I don't remember even hearing about it showing up.:shrug: