Scientists have always kept a close watch on Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. This gaseous giant is home to enduring storms that have raged for many years. Recently, a new image showcasing stormy weather on Jupiter has been shared by the American space agency NASA.
On its Instagram account, NASA posted, “Storm on Jupiter – the fifth planet from our Sun.” It emphasized that due to the absence of a solid surface, storms on Jupiter can persist for many years, even decades, with winds reaching speeds exceeding 643 kilometers per hour.
This latest image was captured by NASA’s Juno Spacecraft, which was approximately 13,000 kilometers away from Jupiter when it snapped the expansive clouds of the planet’s jet stream. Composed primarily of ammonia and water, these clouds exhibit a variety of colors, including blue, white, and gray, as seen in the picture. The post has garnered approximately 300,000 likes and numerous comments, with one user likening the image to a painting.
In addition to this recent image, NASA also documented a notable feature known as the “red spot” on Jupiter last month. This long-standing storm has been brewing on the planet for the past 350 years, first observed by the Voyager spacecraft in 1979. Over time, the red spot has gradually diminished in both height and width. Despite its shrinking size, the Great Red Spot still remains twice the size of Earth and persists approximately 300 kilometers below Jupiter’s cloud layers. Due to the lack of solid ground on Jupiter, the storm shows no signs of weakening, with winds roaring at speeds of around 643 kilometers per hour.