Image taken by the Juno probe at 9866km
This week the Juno space probe captured a few photos of Jupiter's red Super Storm. High resolution, taken up close, close-up images of the 16.350km storm. Its diameter is 1,3 times larger than that of Earth. It is estimated to be about 150 years old, although it is possible that a few more centuries will follow. And it is that although it was observed for the first time in 1830, already at the beginning of 1600 some small red spot was observed in Jupiter. It follows that it could be the same.
Image uploaded by NASA this past July 12
Their 640km / h winds turn anticyclonic, that is, contrary to most storms. And it is decreasing. After years of observation, it is being observed how its size is diminishing little by little. This time there are never-before-taken images of his storm. The Juno probe, traveling at 50km per secondand that Released on August 5, 2011, gives us these images and videos of the storm, which for so many years astronomers have theorized.
The unknowns of the storm
Its red colors are still a mystery. According to the studies done, its upper atmosphere clouds are likely to be composed of hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, and water. What is not clear is whether these compounds react to end up giving it this color.
Another unknown. Why is the storm not exhausted, and continues to hit incessantly after hundreds of years? Many scientists believe that the cause may come deeper, in the roots of the storm. That is why it is important to know what is underneath. The Juno probe is scheduled for its next approach on September 1.
The following accelerated video shows us the surface of Jupiter captured by the Juno probe.
The images that have been uploaded to the NASA website are free for citizens who want to edit and improve them. Many of them are actually owned by citizen scientists who have enhanced the images from the JunoCam web.
A long way to go
Juno probe
The Juno probe, which will soon be 6 years old since its launch, is in charge of investigating this great storm. It is equipped with sensors to detect magnetic fields, and also to find out the composition of Jupiter's atmosphere. NASA hopes to understand how this "stain" works, and reveal the unresolved questions.
Scott Bolton, Principal Investigator Juno probe at the SouthWest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, reported: “We now have the best possible images of this famous storm. It will take us some time to analyze the data, not just from JunoCam, but from the probe's eight science instruments, to shed new light on the past, present and future of the Red Spot.
The largest planet in the Solar System, video included
If for something Jupiter is distinguishedIt is because it is the largest planet in all of the Solar System. With a diameter of almost 140.000km, about 11 times that of the Earth, It also has a few days (rotation period) of almost 10 am, 9:56 am to be exact. Being composed mostly of gas, and rotating at such high speed, it makes it not completely spherical, but rather flattened.
In case anyone can not imagine its large proportions, the following image facilitates the comparison.
Other images provided to us from the web
Called "the face of Jupiter"
And the next, in detail, Jupiter clouds. Spectacular.
In the following video, we are shown the path that Juno follows at its closest point taking advantage of Jupiter's magnetic field. The reason it doesn't always hover close to it is because it is not affected by radiation, although Juno found that it was 10 times less than expected. That's why in its closest point passes about 8.000km and instead its point is superiorly further away.
When Juno passes close to Jupiter again to report to us its magnificent photographs and findings, from Meteorología en Red We will be attentive to broadcast them to everyone.
Stay tuned, because if you liked it, the next visit of the probe promises!