Giant Storm Systems Battle on Jupiter
Explanation:
Two of the largest storm systems on
Jupiter are colliding, and nobody is sure what will result.
The larger storm is the famous
Great Red Spot, while the smaller is a large
white oval.
Both are
swirling cloud systems that circulate on Jupiter.
The white oval is part of a
belt of clouds that circles
Jupiter faster than the Great Red Spot.
The oval started being slowed by the
Great Red Spot two weeks ago and the
collision could last another month.
The oval will
likely survive but could possibly be disrupted or
absorbed.
The two storm systems went at it at least once
before in 1975 causing the
Spot's
red color to fade for several years.
The passing
Voyager 2 robot spacecraft took the
above picture of Jupiter's Great Red Spot in 1979.
A different white oval was then visible below the Spot.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
