5 TRUTHS YOU SHOULD LEARN ABOUT JUPITER’S AMAZING RED SPOT
Jupiter’s most prominent feature is the Great Red Spot
Jupiter might be most famous for its Great Red Spot. Despite all of Jupiter’s captivating traits. Jupiter is the most interesting place in the universe. The galactic gas giant is surrounded by multi-colored cloud banding that span its face. It also boasts dozens and even hundreds of small moons. Jupiter’s most prominent feature is its Great Red Spot.
The Great Red Spot is a large storm that has been raging on Jupiter for more than a century. While there are many mysteries to the spot, astronomers now have a good idea of its location. Without further delay, here are five features that make Jupiter’s Great Red Spot so important.
1. THE STORM RUNS WIDER THAN EARTH
The iconic Great Red Spot spans approximately 10,000 miles (16000 kilometers) and could easily cover Earth. It’s also at best a few hundred metres deep, according NASA’s Juno spacecraft data.
2. IT HAS SCREAMING WINDS
This spot on Jupiter, known as an anticyclone is counterclockwise. Even though the storm has winds that reach speeds of approximately 425 miles/hour (680 km/h close to its edges), they are not as strong as hurricanes on Earth. The winds closer to the core, however, are much calmer.
3. THE STORM HAS AN AWFUL COMPOSITION
Its reddish hue is one of its most attractive characteristics. Astronomers have not yet been able to explain why. Jupiter’s dense atmosphere is primarily made up of hydrogen andhelium. However, researchers also found evidence of water ices as well as ammonia. Although they don’t account for the spot being so captivating in color, researchers think that the spot’s unique shade could be due to the presence of cosmic rays.
4. IT KEEPES GOING…
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot appears to be stronger than any of the Earth’s most powerful storms. It has been active for at minimum 150 years. And it likely has been going on for much longer. Jupiter doesn’t have a flat surface, so its storms won’t spontaneously break apart.
5. SIGNS MIGHT BE SEEN THAT THE STORM IS SLOWING
Over the past decades, researchers wondered if Jupiter’s Great Red Spot was dying. Voyager flew past Jupiter in 1979 and data showed that its Great Red Spot was considerably smaller than the image on the plates. Some believe such claims are either exaggerated, or premature. Some scientists believe that the storm is simply shedding “flakes”, or “blades,” which could be perfectly normal. Many people hope that Jupiter’s Great Red Spot continues to rage for centuries.