Jupiter has lost a stripe

classicman · 05-13-2010, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Jupiter has lost a stripe and scientists want to know why.

The largest planet in our solar system has been dominated by a pair of red bands or stripes, one in each of the northern and southern hemispheres.

But interplanetary detectives have a mystery on their hands.

The most recent pictures of the giant taken by amateur astronomers show the lower stripe - called the Southern Equatorial Belt - has decamped. It has left the planet’s bottom half looking a little bare.

Journalist and amateur astronomer Bob King, also known as Astro_Bob, was one of the first to note the strange phenomenon.

“Jupiter with only one belt is almost like seeing Saturn when its rings are edge-on and invisible for a time - it just doesn't look right,” he told Britain’s Daily Mail.

This is not the first time it has done so while being observed, in 1973 the Pioneer space probe passed by and scientists noticed that it was missing then, too. Later, in the ’90s, it vanished temporarily.

But nobody knows why.

The planet is a giant ball of gas and liquid around 800 million kilometres miles from the Sun. Its surface is composed of dense red, brown, yellow, and white clouds arranged in light-coloured areas called zones and darker regions called belts.

The clouds are created by chemicals that have formed at different heights. The highest white clouds are made of crystals of frozen ammonia. Darker, lower clouds are created from substances that include sulphur and phosphorus. The clouds are blown into bands by 560 km/h winds caused by Jupiter's rapid rotation.

Noted Jupiter watcher Anthony Wesley, who spotted an impact spot on its surface last year, has tracked the disappearing belt from his back garden in Australia.

“It was obvious last year that it was fading. It was closely observed by anyone watching Jupiter,” he told the Planetary Society.

Wesley thinks that some kind of storm blew the ring away. With winds normally blowing at more than 500 km/h, that would be some storm.

The Australian predicts the stripe will soon begin to reassert itself. He says the first sign will be a brilliant white spot forming somewhere in the south. That will be followed by the blooming of dark blobs which will then be stretched into a new stripe.

Until it disappears once again.

Jupiter will be closest to Earth on Sept. 24, offering stargazers a good chance to see the stripeless planet.

Undertoad · 05-13-2010, 10:43 PM

Jupiter's Liberals Worried About Their Ammonia Footprint

lumberjim · 05-13-2010, 10:49 PM

photoshopped

xoxoxoBruce · 05-14-2010, 12:09 AM

Jupiter was on hidden behind the Sun for a couple days. Now he knows he can lose a stripe for his behavior when he's on leave, too.

ZenGum · 05-14-2010, 01:33 AM

Take if off! Take it all off!!

Trilby · 05-14-2010, 05:24 AM

jupiter is preparing for 2012. QED.

Griff · 05-14-2010, 05:30 AM

Haliburton.

Aliantha · 05-14-2010, 05:37 AM

Chooks

toranokaze · 05-14-2010, 06:26 AM

What happened was Jupiter was caught drink on post and was demoted because of it.

TheMercenary · 05-15-2010, 09:16 AM

I hope they took a few months pay too.

Gravdigr · 05-16-2010, 01:57 AM

Ahhhhh, shit.

Gravdigr · 05-16-2010, 01:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZenGum

Take if off! Take it all off!!

05-13-2010, 10:49 PM	#3
lumberjim I can hear my ears Join Date: Oct 2003 Posts: 25,571	photoshopped __________________ This body holding me reminds me of my own mortality Embrace this moment, remember We are eternal, all this pain is an illusion ~MJKeenan

05-14-2010, 12:09 AM	#4
xoxoxoBruce The future is unwritten Join Date: Oct 2002 Posts: 71,105	Jupiter was on hidden behind the Sun for a couple days. Now he knows he can lose a stripe for his behavior when he's on leave, too. __________________ The descent of man ~ Nixon, Friedman, Reagan, Trump.

05-14-2010, 01:33 AM	#5
ZenGum Doctor Wtf Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Badelaide, Baustralia Posts: 12,861	Take if off! Take it all off!! __________________ Shut up and hug. MoreThanPretty, Nov 5, 2008. Just because I'm nominally polite, does not make me a pussy. Sundae Girl.

05-14-2010, 05:24 AM	#6
Trilby Slattern of the Swail Join Date: Jul 2004 Posts: 15,654	jupiter is preparing for 2012. QED. __________________ In Barrie's play and novel, the roles of fairies are brief: they are allies to the Lost Boys, the source of fairy dust and ...They are portrayed as dangerous, whimsical and extremely clever but quite hedonistic. "Shall I give you a kiss?" Peter asked and, jerking an acorn button off his coat, solemnly presented it to her. —James Barrie Wimminfolk they be tricksy. - ZenGum

05-14-2010, 05:30 AM	#7
Griff still says videotape Join Date: Feb 2001 Posts: 26,813	Haliburton. __________________ If you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you. - Louis D. Brandeis

05-13-2010, 10:43 PM	#2
Undertoad Radical Centrist Join Date: Jan 2001 Location: Cottage of Prussia Posts: 31,423	Jupiter's Liberals Worried About Their Ammonia Footprint

05-14-2010, 05:37 AM	#8
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Chooks __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

05-14-2010, 06:26 AM	#9
toranokaze I'm still a jerk Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Little Mexico Posts: 1,817	What happened was Jupiter was caught drink on post and was demoted because of it. __________________ "Without deviation from the norm progress is not possible." - Frank Zappa It is the ignorance of ignorance that lead to the death of knowledge The Virgin Mary does not weep for her son, for he is in paradise. She weeps for the world , for we are in suffering.

05-15-2010, 09:16 AM	#10
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	I hope they took a few months pay too.

05-16-2010, 01:57 AM	#11
Gravdigr The Un-Tuckian Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: South Central...KY that is Posts: 39,517	Ahhhhh, shit. __________________ These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA, EPA, FBI, DEA, CDC, or FDIC. These statements are not intended to diagnose, cause, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. If you feel you have been harmed/offended by, or, disagree with any of the above statements or images, please feel free to fuck right off.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)