05/23/2008

Third Red Spot Erupts on Jupiter

A third red spot has been observed on Jupiter, joining two others:

"Jupiter's Great Red Spot is an ancient, hurricane-like storm that may have been raging for 340 years or more, based on early observations with telescopes. At three times the width of Earth, it is the largest storm in the solar system. It was recently joined by a similar, but smaller storm called Red Spot Junior. Red Spot Junior grew out of the merger of three smaller, white storms between 1998 and 2000 and turned red in 2006. It is about the size of Earth...No one knows for sure what gives the three spots their red colour. But one theory is that especially violent storms dredge up material from deeper in Jupiter's atmosphere, such as phosphorus-containing molecules, which undergo chemical reactions that turn them red when exposed to sunlight."

Nah, it's the monoliths!

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Posted 4:15 PM EST by Andy in News, Space | Permalink

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Comments

1. It is the aliens

   LOL

   Cool :-) red spot jr is the size of earth, Yowza

   Posted by: Jimmyboyo | May 23, 2008 4:30:39 PM

   
   

2. this is what happens when storms have unprotected intercourse with other storms....let that be a warning to you.

   Posted by: rich | May 23, 2008 4:34:14 PM

   
   

3. I was going to do a monolith joke, damn it!

   Anyway, check out the HiRes project for cool desktop wallpaper images. SFW!

   Posted by: anon | May 23, 2008 4:46:07 PM

   
   

4. I'm sure Rev. John Hagee will find a way to blame this on the gays too.

   Posted by: JerzeeMike | May 23, 2008 4:53:19 PM

   
   

5. A very nice piece of space porn to start the weekend...

   Posted by: Anonymous | May 23, 2008 5:26:18 PM

   
   

6. These red spots are believed to be associated with the warming that is occurring on Jupiter presently -- the same warming that is taking place on Mars, Pluto and Neptune's moon. But as leading scientist Al Gore will tell you, possible warming on Earth is caused by humans, so go out and buy some carbon credits to offset your mansion and private jet this weekend.

   Posted by: Paul | May 23, 2008 6:28:16 PM

   
   

7. Paul

   BULL SHIT!

   http://www.skepticalscience.com/global-warming-on-jupiter.htm

   The heat changes on Jupiter are INTERNAL!

   Posted by: Jimmyboyo | May 23, 2008 6:45:23 PM

   
   

8. Someone on Jupiter is watching BSG. The Eye of Jupiter...

   Posted by: Mitch | May 23, 2008 8:52:14 PM

   
   

9. Nothing a little Proactiv can't cure.

   Posted by: soulbrotha | May 24, 2008 1:43:52 AM

   
   

10. You know it's probably all our fault for advancing beyond the stone age

    Posted by: ousslander | May 24, 2008 10:01:08 AM

    
    

11. Leave Jupiter alone, so it likes the occasional fisting, big deal!

    Posted by: Blake | May 24, 2008 7:30:15 PM

    
    

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