Cyclones are known to cause widespread damage to both life and property on Earth. Severe cyclonic storms lead to displacement of the masses and affect weather conditions across the globe. But what if we told you that the solar system is home to a cyclonic storm twice the size of Earth?
The Great Red Spot (GRS) is perhaps the best way to identify the planet Jupiter. Before the Voyager I (1979) revealed the cyclonic nature of the spot, astronomers had various theories about the same. But today, graphical and theoretical evidence clearly suggests that the Great Red Spot is basically a persistent anticyclonic storm churning ceaselessly on Jupiter.
This storm has lasted for at least 185 years now. Some put the current age of this storm at 350 years or more. The earliest mentions of the storm date back to the year 1665. The storm is so big that one can see it from Earth using a telescope.
Celestial bodies are dotted with weird and baffling weather conditions. Jupiter is a prime example of extreme or bizarre weather conditions in outer space. Jupiter is home to the largest planetary atmosphere in the entire Solar System. The planet's atmosphere stretches 5,000 km in height and is covered with thick dense clouds. Flashes of lightning are also a common sight on Jupiter.
If a cyclonic storm as big as the Great Red Spot were to form on Earth, it would swallow the entire planet within days. But unlike Jupiter, Earth is a sophisticated set-up and not just a big ball of gas. The chances of a similar cyclonic storm developing on Earth are bleak, to say the least.
The Great Red Spot’s mysterious reddish color remains a mystery till date. Scientists have not been able to explain the red color of this storm. Recently, another storm emerged in the region and is now converging with the GRS. But visuals from the Hubble Space Telescope show that the GRS is actually shrinking and the storm is turning orange in color.
(Featured Image Credit: sun.org)
