clhs sciblog

Scientists have been studying “The Great Red Spot” on Jupiter for a long time to better understand weather conditions on that particular planet. The Spot is a lozenge-shaped storm and is about two Earth-widths across. Because Jupiter is always rotating and the cameras are hurling through space at thousands of miles per hour, this storm is very difficult to get detailed images of.  Scientists meaure the wind speeds of the storm to get the most accurate rating of the storm and map it all out.  The maps consist of tens of millions of velocity measurements and provide a sharp image of what’s happening with the Spot. This is supposed to be the most accurate full-planet map ever created. Now, this spot is over 300 years old, but has been showing signs that is has decreased in size over the past twelve years.

I found this interesting because the first automobile came out less than a few hundred years ago and we already have the technology to measure windspeeds on a planet that none of us ‘earthlings’  have ever been on. With the exception of automated space craft, travel to Jupiter seems very unlikely. Jupiter has harsh weather conditions, where the blowing of wind is typically at the level of 250 miles per hour, much higher than winds we see in hurricanes on Earth. With the facts presented and the numbers calculated, even if this spot is shrinking scientists say it is by no means near disappearing. This storm is still a VERY large one at that. How did people come by this technology? It’s taken YEARS of work and very dedicated scientists. The United States has dedicated six spacecrafts to the exploration, orbiting, and photographing of Jupiter, but we will get to the bottom of where this storm is going, and what is causing it to stop.

To read the real article, click here.