Monday, March 06, 2006

Red Spot Jr.

From Space.com comes news that Jupiter is growing a new red spot.

The official name of the new storm is "Oval BA," but "Red Jr." might be more apt because it's about half the size of the famous Great Red Spot and now almost exactly the same color.

Strangely, the spot was white in November 2005, slowly turned brown in December and then red a few weeks ago.

Fascinating stuff.

9 comments:

Topwomen said...

keeuool! See spot change colors, change spot change. ala Dick and Jane

cube said...

change, change, change.

tlm said...

Al Gore predicted this would happen.

Jessica said...

I though Al Gore invented Jupiter.

cube said...

Ha! you joke, but in his feeble brain, Gore probably does believe it. After all, he is the alpha and the omega ;-)

tlm said...

I wonder if Al will be televising the birth of the new spot on his Current network?

All twelve of Current's viewers -- from that trailer park in Hooterville, Arkansas -- probably wouldn't understand it though.

cube said...

Maybe Al Franken's Air America will pitch in and help out ;-)

Caz said...

Cubicle - I luurrve Jupiter; my all time favorite planet. Okay, Saturn is very pretty too, but Jupiter, ah, Jupiter, and it's all gas, just to add to the intrigue. Jupiter is such a glorious sight. I have a pic of Jupiter on my fridge. :>)

cube said...

caz: Yes, Jupiter is cool, especially after reading this story about a new red spot.

But I have to say that after Earth, my favorite planet is Saturn. Those rings are just too magnificent.