Hubble captures new portrait of Jupiter

The recent image of Jupiter from Hubble shows the giant planet’s trademark Great Red Spot, and a more intense color palette in the clouds swirling in Jupiter’s turbulent atmosphere. Such a phenomenon has never been seen on Jupiter in previous years. For scientists, these colors and changes are important clues to ongoing processes in Jupiter’s atmosphere.

In the image, we can see the rich colors of the clouds moving toward the Great Red Spot. This is actually an anticyclonic storm, roughly the diameter of Earth and is rolling counterclockwise between two bands of clouds, moving in opposite directions, respectively. Looking at the previous images of Jupiter, captured by Hubble, the new image confirms that the huge storm which has raged on Jupiter’s surface for around 150 years is shrinking.

The different concentrations in it are kept separate by fast winds. These winds can reach speeds of up to 650 kilometers per hour.

The reason for this is still unknown and scientists are determined to learn more about this. So Hubble will continue to observe Jupiter and send all the important info to scientists who can later come to a conclusion based on the information provided. However, storms in Jupiter aren’t something new. Small storms appear on Jupiter as white or brown ovals that can last for a few hours or stretch on for centuries.