Red spot Jr.

"A ring inside the spot is now more prominent, and there are 2 big white ovals just

link

"A ring inside the spot is now more prominent, and there are 2 big white ovals just above it." Red Jr., in short, is looking a bit like Mickey Mouse:

another red spot on Jupiter. just something i found whilst browsing. thought it might be of some interest

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Mod Edit - added link





[edit on 2-9-2006 by masqua]

Ah yes, Oval BA.

It's most interesting... you see, a number of years ago, a bunch of other storms around Jupiter merged and formed Oval BA - but they remained white.

In fact, it was a great peculiarity amongst the Jupiter Scientists that the Great Red Spot is, in fact, Red. Every other major storm on Jupiter has been white.

Then, suddenly this year, Oval BA went Red. The formation of such a storm gives rise and credance to new and old theories about the Great Red Spot, how it formed, and how it continues, and why it's Red. As best as we can now surmise, the Great Red Spot is probably Red because it's powerful enough to pull up clouds from deeper down in Jupiter's Atmosphere, clouds with compositions that either are red, or which eventually turn red when exposed to UV light (from the sun).

The real question is, what's going to happen to Oval BA? It's cycle around Jupiter brings it into close proximity of the Great Red spot, and the two have passed close to each other before. It's possible that the Grea Red Spot has survived for so long because, every few centuries or so, a storm system like Oval BA is consumed by the Great Red Spot, and the two merge and the storm stays powered until the process happens again.

The two storms passed very close on July 4th this year. I didnt read anything after it happened about how the passing may have affected each storm, so I guess nothing happend? I wonder if theres any pictures or if it happened facing away from earth?

well the theory that the red spot is red because of the deeper gasses being pulled up seems rather interesting, also i have never heard or thought of that before, simple as it was. also that the red spot consumes other storms and this process keeps it powerfull for so many years makes lots of sence. im would guess that this process has heppened for many years past.