Red in Jupiter's Spot Not What Astronomers Thought

[PPI Debra]

 Thermal imaging was used to take new photos of the red spot.

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2010/03/jupiter-spot/

[Gary]

That is a cool article Debra.  It's always crazy to hear of these immense storms (3 times the width of Earth) lasting for so long, way the heck out there. 

[PPI Karl]

Thanks for posting this, Debra.  I'm with Gary:  tres cool!

[PPI Tracy]

Very tres cool   8)

[Damian]

What a beautifully clear image!  I'm always awe-stricken when I think of the size of Jupiter, the number of moons orbiting it, the huge stormy red-spot, the counter rotating bands, and the fact that our solar system could have been a binary system (I think that's the right term) having two suns if Jupiter had ignited, and Earth probably would have been able to sustain life.

I know that Jupiter is classified as a gas-giant, but does anyone know if there is anything solid at Jupiter's core?  Is it completely gas and dust, or is there actually a surfact to that planet somewhere beneath the chaotic weather systems that we're seeing?

This stuff is so interesting to me... I could spend hours daydreaming about it  , but time to get back to work.   

[PPI Karl]

What a beautifully clear image!  I'm always awe-stricken when I think of the size of Jupiter, the number of moons orbiting it, the huge stormy red-spot, the counter rotating bands, and the fact that our solar system could have been a binary system (I think that's the right term) having two suns if Jupiter had ignited, and Earth probably would have been able to sustain life.

I know that Jupiter is classified as a gas-giant, but does anyone know if there is anything solid at Jupiter's core?  Is it completely gas and dust, or is there actually a surface to that planet somewhere beneath the chaotic weather systems that we're seeing?

This stuff is so interesting to me... I could spend hours daydreaming about it  , but time to get back to work.   

Hi, Damian.  I've often wondered the same thing--that these relatively stable giant weather systems must be connected to something relatively stable beneath the clouds.  However, I think the prevailing theory is that it has no solid surface, but that metals at its core are so condensed under pressure they remain in a liquid or gaseous state.  Still, Arthur C. Clark takes the prize, in my opinion, for one of the most romantic notions of what lies at Jupiter's core:  the largest gem in the solar system--a diamond, the size of Earth. 

They don't really know, though.  We've simply got to send another science probe back to Jupiter, damn it.  It's long overdue.  It's been over six years since the Galileo mission ended, and I know they've had several strong mission proposals since 2003, but they never pan out or are victims of budget cuts by presidents who use NASA space missions as a convenient, albeit false, show of fiscal conservativeness. ::| 

[ljiljanac]

Jupiter is believed to have a core of up to 10 Earth sizes, but this has not yet been established as fact.  This is based on Jupiter's shape, size, measured atmospheric pressure and gravitational force, the behavior of metallic and molecular hydrogen found on Jupiter, and the amounts of other elements present that are more than would be present in a strictly gaseous planet.        I agree.  We definitely need another mission. 

[Damian]

Metal, existing in a gaseous state?!  I didn't even know that was possible.  Karl, you just totally blew my mind! 

[PPI Karl]

Metal, existing in a gaseous state?!  I didn't even know that was possible.  Karl, you just totally blew my mind! 

I grew up near some die cast foundries on Milwaukee's south side.  Whenever I think of metal in a gaseous state, I recall the taste and smell of the air back then. 

Last year, a tidally locked superEarth exoplanet was discovered orbiting so close to its parent star, they believe its atmosphere may rain iron and silicate pebbles in a well-and-true weather system of gaseous metal clouds.  (There's some speculation about this planet being the remnant of a gas giant whose atmosphere has burned off.)  I've also read that gaseous metal clouds in giant storms are likely to be common on brown dwarfs.  Amazing.

[PPI Karl]

Looks like the plans are now a-go, though I don't know for sure if this mission is strictly to visit Jupiter or if it includes its moons.  I'll check the JPL sites and report back.  Meanwhile . . .

"NASA Begins Building New Spacecraft to Visit Jupiter"
By Denise Chow
Space.com Staff Writer
posted: 07 April 2010
http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/jupiter-spacecraft-juno-100407.html

***UPDATE***
Here's a link to the JPL Mission site.  Looks like it's strictly a Jovian atmosphere survey, so far; I assume that will include an intense study of the Red Spot:
http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/missions/missiondetails.cfm?mission=Juno

[Damian]

The knowledge and photos that will come from the Juno project will be amazing!  Coincidentally, at work I'm working on marketing materials for a product we just launched called Juno. 

I'm so curious what's under Jupiter's dense atmosphere.  This is gonna be cool!