Jupiter’s
two massive storms mar the face of the gas
giant planet in this view taken by telescopes on Earth.
The two oval
storms – known as red spots – appear white in this image because it reveals
a near infrared look rather than the traditional visible wavelengths perceived by
the human eye.
Astronomers
at the Gemini Observatory used a technique known as adaptive optics in which
the surface of a telescope’s mirror shifts constantly to tune out interference
from the Earth’s atmosphere.
"It was tricky getting
this image," said astronomer Chad Trujillo, a researcher who helped lead
the Jupiter study at the Gemini Observatory, in a statement. "Since we
used adaptive optics we needed a star-like object nearby to guide on, so we had
to find a time when Jupiter's moon Io would appear close enough to Jupiter and
the red spots would be optimally placed on Jupiter's disk. Fortunately it all
worked out on the evening of July 13th and we were able to capture this
relatively rare set of circumstances.”
Jupiter’s two great spots
are raging storms that lie about five miles (eight kilometers) above their
neighboring cloud tops.
The larger storm, or
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, is the largest hurricane in the Solar System and ranges in size
from 15,500 miles (25,000 kilometers) to 25,000 miles (40,000 kilometers). It
is large enough to hold up to three planet Earths, boasts wind speeds of up to
350 miles (560 kilometers) per hour, and may have endured for at least 350
years.
The smaller storm – or Red Spot
Junior as its nickname goes – is about half the size the Great Red Spot and
may be a sign of changing
climate on Jupiter, according to some researchers.
Astronomers are still
unsure what causes the spots’ red hue, but suspect that material sucked up from
deep within Jupiter, or chemically altered by the Sun’s ultraviolet light.
-- SPACE.com Staff
Credit: Gemini Observatory ALTAIR Adaptive Optics Image
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