Media Information
 
 
 
Collection:
NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day Collection
Title:
Jupiter's Dry Spots
Explanation:
Known for its spectacular images of Jupiter's moons, Io [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Ganymede [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Callisto [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], and Europa [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], the robot spacecraft Galileo has also aggressively explored the Jovian atmosphere. In December of 1995 [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…], Galileo's atmospheric probe descended into Jupiter's clouds [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] and reported a surprising absence of water [ http://ccf.arc.nasa…]. It is now believed that the probe entered through one of Jupiter's dry spots [ http://galileo.ivv.…], similar to the dark region in this image of the swirling Jovian cloud deck [ http://galileo.ivv.…]. The smallest features visible here are tens of miles in size. These dry regions appear to correspond to locations where winds converge creating downdrafts. The downdrafts generate local cloudless clearings through which Jupiter's deeper warmer layers [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…] can be glimpsed. Just as the dark areas are extremely dry [ http://galileo.ivv.…], the surroundings are full of moisture. The contrast is analogous to the desert and tropics of Earth [ http://antwrp.gsfc.…].
Credit and Copyright:
//galileo.ivv.nasa.g ov/" >Galileo Project, JPL, NASA [ http://www.nasa.gov/]
facet_when:
1995
facet_where:
Ganymede
facet_where:
Jupiter
facet_where:
Europa
facet_where:
Callisto
facet_where:
Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC)
facet_where:
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where:
Washington, D.C.
facet_what:
Earth
facet_what:
Galileo
facet_what:
Ganymede
facet_what:
Jupiter
facet_what:
Io
facet_what:
Europa
facet_what:
Callisto
facet_when_year:
1995
original url:
http://antwrp.gsfc.…
UID:
SPD-APOD-ap970612

Jupiter's Dry Spots
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