New Delhi, March 16: Jupiter, the fifth planet from the Sun, is the largest in our solar system, with a mass greater than that of all other planets combined. Among its many wonders, the Great Red Spot (GRS) stands out as the solar system’s largest storm.
Scientists continue to be intrigued by the mysteries of the GRS, a massive rotating storm larger than Earth itself, which has been observed for centuries. Recent data from NASA’s Juno spacecraft and the Hubble Space Telescope has unveiled new insights about this enigmatic spot.
The GRS is an anticyclone that continuously rotates within Jupiter’s atmosphere. Its size is so immense that the entire Earth could fit within it. Astronomers have been tracking it for at least 150 to 300 years. While it was once much larger, it has been gradually shrinking. In 2018, NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured stunning images that showcased the spot’s colors more vividly. Juno revealed that the storm’s base extends deep into the atmosphere, with some storms reaching depths of 100 kilometers, while the Great Red Spot goes beyond 350 kilometers.
Juno is a solar-powered spacecraft that orbits Jupiter, aiming to understand the planet’s origin, evolution, and the mysteries of the giant planets in our solar system. Recently, Hubble also provided information about the GRS, indicating that it is not as stable as it appears. It oscillates like a jelly bowl. From Hubble’s images, scientists created a time-lapse film showing that the spot expands and contracts every 90 days. When it slows down, it widens, and when it speeds up, it narrows.
NASA researcher Amy Simon shared insights, stating, “Under the Outer Planet Atmosphere Legacy Program, we found that there is a slight change in its motion, but the way its size changes was unexpected. Hubble’s high-resolution images clearly show that it shrinks and expands. Currently, there is no hydrodynamic explanation for this.”
Moreover, observations in ultraviolet light revealed that when the spot is at its largest, its center is the brightest, indicating less haze absorption in the upper atmosphere. These changes occur daily and reflect subtle variations in the storm’s color, size, and speed. According to scientists, this discovery will aid in understanding storms on Earth and make it easier to study weather patterns on exoplanets.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
