Images captured by two different telescopes show the largest planet in our solar system in new light. The Gemini North telescope and the Hubble Space Telescope in Hawaii captured Jupiter in visible, infrared, and ultraviolet light, revealing in detail the impressive atmospheric characteristics.
It has super storms, massive cyclones and of course, the Great Red Spot – the age-old storm in Jupiter’s atmosphere so great that it can strangle the Earth.
It is multi-wavelength astronomy in action. Viewing a planet at different wavelengths of light can reveal aspects and characteristics that would otherwise be invisible. Comparing them gives a greater understanding of the giant planet, its atmosphere, particles and fog.
“In a note, observations were made possible by Gemini North in place of telescopes in the Moonakia Science Reserve, adjacent to Moonakia’s summit,” said Mike Wong, the observation team and planetary scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, University of California. . “We are grateful for the privilege of seeing Kawela (Jupiter) from a place that is unique in its astronomical quality and cultural significance.”
Gemini North’s near-infrared imager provided an image of Jupiter’s infrared wavelength, while Hubble performed a dual task to capture images in visual and ultraviolet light using his Wide Field Camera 3.
The three images were taken at the same time on January 11, 2017, so that comparisons could be made.
In three images, Jupiter looks completely different. The Great Red Spot disappears at near-infrared wavelengths, but a dark area within the storm appears larger than the visible light image. This is due to the fact that different wavelengths of light within the storm show different structures.
A combination of Hubble’s visible light storm images and Gemini’s infrared observations revealed that the dark features are holes in the cloud layer. In visible light, they look dark. But in thermal infrared, researchers can see that, through the holes, Jupiter’s summer glow escapes into space. This process is usually blocked by giant clouds of Jupiter.
In the infrared, Jupiter’s warm layers are seen shining through the gaps in the clouds at the depth of the clouds.
Wong compared the infrared image of Jupiter to the pumpkin lantern.
Red Spot Jr., called the Oval BA by scientists, is a storm beneath the Great Red Spot that appears in visual and ultraviolet images. It was formed when three hurricanes melted in 2000.
Red Spot Junior has gone white in recent years. It was the original color of the spot before it turned red in 2006. But the origin of this storm is dark red, which may indicate that the future Red Spot Jr. is going to be more red like the Great Red Spot.
Another point appears in Jupiter’s northern hemisphere in the infrared image. This particular strip is considered to be a cyclonic vortex, or a series of vortices, extending approximately 45,000 kilometers from east to west. In visible light, it looks dark brown. In 1979, when NASA’s Vyzer 1 spacecraft photographed Jupiter, scientists called these features a “brown barge”. Then, in the ultraviolet light, these vortices almost disappear.
Storm jupiter
Combined, three different approaches help scientists understand that Jupiter’s tricky clouds are layered in its atmosphere. The images can also be compared to observations made by the Juno mission, which has orbited Jupiter since 2016.
Jupiter is known for large-scale storms, but trying to spy on them requires teamwork from the spacecraft Juno, Hubble, and Gemini North. The team’s collective comments produced impressive images and revealed what is happening inside Jupiter’s massive continuous storms.
Jupiter’s storms are demons. Its storm clouds can be up to 40 miles from base to top, which is five times the height of Earth’s storm clouds. Jupiter’s electricity also triples the energy of the so-called “Superbolts”, the most powerful lightning strikes on Earth.
Wong and his team used this collective data to understand how lightning storms form on Jupiter, examine holes in the clouds of the Great Red Spot, and deeper layers of the planet’s normally obscure atmosphere Huh.
“Juno detected multiple lightning strikes at radio wavelengths associated with the cyclone,” Wong said.
Wet convection can cause lightning strikes in deep-water clouds. Jupiter’s lightning and large storms form in and around large convection cells positioned on deep clouds.
Although several robotic space missions have visited Jupiter, researchers still have many doubts about how this gas giant was formed and the processes occurring on the planet.
Hubble and Gemini’s support during the Juno mission also gives researchers a window into Jupiter’s climate in general, such as wind patterns, atmospheric waves and cyclones, as well as their gas and heat.
This data set is also the basis for future research that Wong is working on to determine how and why the Great Red Spot is shrinking.
Although scientists do not know, the size of the storm has been decreasing ever since astronomers began observing it and recording measurements since 1930.
The giant gas planet has an atmosphere that is constantly moving, so long-term observation expeditions allow you to track changes in Jupiter over time. Scientists are eager to see what Jupiter wonders for the future.
Translated text, read original in English Here.
