Back to album

Jupiter's Great Red Spot

As Voyager 1 flew by Jupiter, it captured this photo of the Great Red Spot. The Great Red Spot is an anti-cyclonic (high- pressure) storm on Jupiter that can be likened to the worst hurricanes on Earth. An ancient storm, it is so large that three Earths could fit inside it. This photo, and others of Jupiter, allowed scientists to see different colors in clouds around the Great Red Spot which imply that the clouds swirl around the spot (going counter-clockwise) at varying altitudes. The Great Red Spot had been observed from Earth for hundreds of years, yet never before with this clarity and closeness (objects as small as six hundred kilometers can be seen).

 

NASA Media Usage Guidelines

 

Credit: NASA/JPL

Image Number: PIA01512

Date: March 1, 1979

103,577 views
105 faves
0 comments
Uploaded on March 1, 2019
Taken on March 1, 1979