New observations of the Great Red Spot on Jupiter have revealed that the planet’s atmosphere above and around the infamous storm is surprisingly interesting and active.
About Great Red Spot:
It is an anticyclone, a long-lasting area of high pressure on Jupiter creating a persistent storm.
Located in Jupiter's Southern Hemisphere, it appears as a giant red spot on Jupiter's surface. The source of the red coloration is unknown.
It extends well above Jupiter’s main cloud layers.
It 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.
Winds inside this Jovian storm reach speeds of about 270 mph.
It has existed for the last 150 years, possibly even longer.
The long lifetime of the Red Spot may be due to the fact that Jupiter is mainly a gaseous planet.
It possibly has liquid layers but lacks a solid surface, which would dissipate the storm's energy, much as happens when a hurricane makes landfall on the Earth.
However, the Red Spot does change its shape, size, and color, sometimes dramatically.
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