![]() But it appears to be slowly shrinking, from twice Earth’s size in 1979 to 1.3 times now. Maybe the most iconic storm in the solar system, Jupiter’s Great Red Spot has been swirling for centuries. ![]() 2, 2017, pass over the planet, shows the central cyclone at the planet’s north pole and the eight cyclones that encircle it. This composite infrared image, derived from data collected by the Jovian Infrared Auroral Mapper (JIRAM) instrument aboard NASA’s Juno mission to Jupiter during a Feb. Their spiral arms smack together as they spin, but the storms don’t merge, Juno data shows. Nine-storm north poleĪ central cyclone at Jupiter’s north pole is surrounded by eight more, as if they’re bowing in tribute.These cyclones range from 2,500 to 2,900 miles across (4,000 to 4,600 kilometers). But Juno - probably thanks to its closer approach - picked up higher-frequency lightning as well, resolving a 40-year-old conundrum. Unlike Earthly lightning, Jupiter’s strikes were detected only at lower radio frequencies. LightningĮarlier NASA spacecraft - Voyagers 1 and 2, Galileo and Cassini - found lightning in Jupiter’s clouds by listening for their radio noise. ![]() A pattern of six cyclones, with one in the center, had seemed locked in place, but a new cyclone had somehow muscled in. Then the spacecraft discovered a new, giant cyclone at Jupiter’s south pole. On a close flyby, passing less than 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers) above Jupiter’s cloud tops, Juno dodged Jupiter’s shadow to avoid freezing. The image is oriented so Jupiter's poles (not visible) run left-to-right of frame.Ĭredits: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS/Kevin M. The JunoCam imager aboard NASA's Juno spacecraft captured this image of Jupiter's southern equatorial region on Sept. ![]()
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