Hubble Views Ancient Storm in the Atmosphere of Jupiter
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Hubble Views Ancient Storm in the Atmosphere of Jupiter
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General Information:
What is Hubble Heritage?
A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site.
When 17th-century astronomers first turned their telescopes to Jupiter, they noted a conspicuous reddish spot on the giant planet. This Great Red Spot is still present in Jupiter's atmosphere, more than 300 years later. It is now known that it is a vast storm, spinning like a cyclone. Unlike a low-pressure hurricane in the Caribbean Sea, however, the Red Spot rotates in a counterclockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere, showing that it is a high-pressure system. Winds inside this Jovian storm reach speeds of about 270 mph.
The Red Spot is the largest known storm in the solar system. With a diameter of 15,400 miles, it is almost twice the size of the entire Earth and one-sixth the diameter of Jupiter itself. However, the Red Spot does change its shape, size, and color, sometimes dramatically. Such changes are demonstrated in these Hubble telescope pictures.
General_Information
What is Hubble Heritage?
A monthly showcase of new and archival Hubble images. Go to the Heritage site.
When 17th-century astronomers first turned their telescopes to Jupiter, they noted a conspicuous reddish spot on the giant planet. This Great Red Spot is still present in Jupiter's atmosphere, more than 300 years later. It is now known that it is a vast storm, spinning like a cyclone. Unlike a low-pressure hurricane in the Caribbean Sea, however, the Red Spot rotates in a counterclockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere, showing that it is a high-pressure system. Winds inside this Jovian storm reach speeds of about 270 mph.
The Red Spot is the largest known storm in the solar system. With a diameter of 15,400 miles, it is almost twice the size of the entire Earth and one-sixth the diameter of Jupiter itself. However, the Red Spot does change its shape, size, and color, sometimes dramatically. Such changes are demonstrated in these Hubble telescope pictures.
General Information
Fast Facts:
Technical facts about this news release:
About this Object Object Name: Jupiter's Great Red Spot Object Description: High-pressure Cyclonic Storm on Jupiter Jupiter's Total Visual Magnitude: -2.6 magnitude (at opposition) Distance to Jupiter: 5.2 Astronomical Units (778 million km or 483 million miles )
Diameter of Jupiter:
142,984 km or 88,789 miles (at equator) Diameter of Great Red Spot: 24,800 km or 15,400 miles (lengthwise) About the Data Instrument and Exposure Dates:
WFPC: May 92 WFPC2: Jul 94, Aug 94, Feb 95, Oct 95, Oct 96, Apr 97, Jun 99 Filters: F410M, F439 (B), F555W (V), F673N [SII], F718, F953N [SIII] Principal Astronomers:
A. Simon (Cornell U.), R. Beebe (NMSU), and collaborators
H. B. Hammel (Space Science Institute, MIT), R. Beebe (NMSU), J. T. Clarke (U. Michigan) , R. A. West (JPL), A. Storrs (STScI), and collaborators
H. Bond, C. Christian, J. English, L. Frattare, F. Hamilton, A. Kinney, Z. Levay, K. Noll (The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA))
About this Image Image Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Release Date: August 5, 1999 12:00pm EDT
Fast_Facts
Technical facts about this news release:
About this Object Object Name: Jupiter's Great Red Spot Object Description: High-pressure Cyclonic Storm on Jupiter Jupiter's Total Visual Magnitude: -2.6 magnitude (at opposition) Distance to Jupiter: 5.2 Astronomical Units (778 million km or 483 million miles )
Diameter of Jupiter:
142,984 km or 88,789 miles (at equator) Diameter of Great Red Spot: 24,800 km or 15,400 miles (lengthwise) About the Data Instrument and Exposure Dates:
WFPC: May 92 WFPC2: Jul 94, Aug 94, Feb 95, Oct 95, Oct 96, Apr 97, Jun 99 Filters: F410M, F439 (B), F555W (V), F673N [SII], F718, F953N [SIII] Principal Astronomers:
A. Simon (Cornell U.), R. Beebe (NMSU), and collaborators
H. B. Hammel (Space Science Institute, MIT), R. Beebe (NMSU), J. T. Clarke (U. Michigan) , R. A. West (JPL), A. Storrs (STScI), and collaborators
H. Bond, C. Christian, J. English, L. Frattare, F. Hamilton, A. Kinney, Z. Levay, K. Noll (The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA))
About this Image Image Credit: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA) Release Date: August 5, 1999 12:00pm EDT
Fast Facts
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*Release Date*:August 5, 1999 12:00 PM (EDT)
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*Release Date*:August 5, 1999 12:00 PM (EDT)
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*Title*:Hubble Views Ancient Storm in the Atmosphere of Jupiter
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*Title*:Hubble Views Ancient Storm in the Atmosphere of Jupiter
