When did Robert Hooke first describe a spot on Jupiter?
Robert Hooke described a spot on Jupiter in May 1664. Giovanni Cassini later observed a permanent feature from 1665 to 1713.
Questions about Great Red Spot
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What date was the first detailed image of the Great Red Spot transmitted by Voyager 1?
Voyager 1 transmitted the first detailed image of the Great Red Spot on the 25th of February 1979. Cloud details as small as three kilometers across became visible during that flyby.
How wide is the Great Red Spot as measured on the 3rd of April 2017?
The Great Red Spot measures approximately 16,350 kilometers in width on the 3rd of April 2017 making it slightly smaller than Earth. Winds around the edge peak at about 432 kilometers per hour while currents inside remain stagnant.
Why does the upper atmosphere above the Great Red Spot have higher temperatures?
Acoustic waves rising from turbulence below travel vertically up to a height of 1,000 kilometers where they break in the upper atmosphere. Wave energy converts into heat creating a region several hundred kelvins warmer than the rest of the planet at that altitude.
What chemical process creates the reddish color of the Great Red Spot?
Hypotheses supported by laboratory experiments suppose solar ultraviolet irradiation creates chemical products from ammonium hydrosulfide and acetylene. This process produces complex organic compounds called tholins which appear reddish.