Representative imageKichcha Sudeep Calls for Justice in Renuka Swamy Murder Case; Speaks Out on Darshan's ArrestJupiter ’s Great Red Spot (GRS) has been a subject of fascination since it was first observed through telescopes in the 1600s.
However, recent research suggests that the GRS we observe today is not the same feature spotted by early astronomers.
Instead, it is a younger, albeit still ancient, storm that has graced Jupiter’s atmosphere for approximately 190 years.The original spot, often referred to as the “Permanent Spot,” was first documented by Italian astronomer Giovanni Cassini in 1665.
However, records of this original spot vanished after 1713, leaving a gap in observations for over a century.It wasn’t until 1831 that a new spot was documented, located at the same latitude as Cassini’s Permanent Spot.
The ongoing study of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is not only a window into the past but also a guide to understanding the atmospheric phenomena that shape the celestial bodies within our cosmic neighborhood.
Representative image
Kichcha Sudeep Calls for Justice in Renuka Swamy Murder Case; Speaks Out on Darshan's Arrest
Jupiter ’s Great Red Spot (GRS) has been a subject of fascination since it was first observed through telescopes in the 1600s. This massive storm, appearing as a blemish on the otherwise cloud-striped planet , has been monitored for centuries. However, recent research suggests that the GRS we observe today is not the same feature spotted by early astronomers. Instead, it is a younger, albeit still ancient, storm that has graced Jupiter’s atmosphere for approximately 190 years.The original spot, often referred to as the “Permanent Spot,” was first documented by Italian astronomer Giovanni Cassini in 1665. Some reports suggest that English scientist Robert Hooke may have observed it a year earlier. This early GRS was a prominent feature in the solar system, a vast vortex that represented the largest known storm of its time. However, records of this original spot vanished after 1713, leaving a gap in observations for over a century.It wasn’t until 1831 that a new spot was documented, located at the same latitude as Cassini’s Permanent Spot. This new feature is the GRS that has been continuously observed to this day. Agustín Sánchez-Lavega, a planetary scientist at the University of the Basque Country in Bilbao, Spain, led a study that casts doubt on the continuity of the original GRS to the current one. Through measurements and computer simulations, Sánchez-Lavega’s team concluded that the current GRS is likely a separate storm that formed after the disappearance of the original spot.The GRS of today, while still massive, has shown signs of shrinkage over time. An observation in 1879 measured the storm at 24,200 miles across its longest axis. In contrast, the current size of the GRS is approximately 8,700 miles, indicating a significant reduction over the past century. This shrinkage has prompted questions about the longevity of the GRS and whether it might eventually dissipate like its predecessor.The formation of the GRS is attributed to wind instability, which produced the elongated atmospheric cell that is visible today. The storm is an anticyclone, meaning it rotates around a center of high atmospheric pressure, opposite to the rotation of cyclones on Earth. This rotation is sustained by Jupiter’s lack of a solid surface and its composition of mostly hydrogen and helium, which allows storms to persist for much longer than they would on Earth.Understanding the GRS is crucial for comprehending Jupiter’s weather patterns and, by extension, the weather systems of other planets, including Earth. The study of Jupiter’s atmosphere and its storms provides insights into the dynamics of gas giants and contributes to our knowledge of planetary atmospheres beyond our solar system.The research on the GRS continues as scientists use data from telescopes and space probes to unravel the mysteries of this colossal storm. The findings from Sánchez-Lavega’s team were published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters on June 16, 20241. As the GRS evolves, it remains a symbol of the dynamic and ever-changing nature of our solar system’s largest planet. The ongoing study of Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is not only a window into the past but also a guide to understanding the atmospheric phenomena that shape the celestial bodies within our cosmic neighborhood.
