Funny Nature & Travel Art & Stage Going Viral Science Greetings Inspirational

Edit Profile Recently Viewed Favorites

Main > Science & Tech > Science and Technology

Jupiter Loses One of its Belts

Font Size:

A+ A-

Jupiter has lost one of its iconic red stripes and scientists are baffled as to why.

The largest planet in our solar system is usually dominated by two dark bands in its atmosphere, with one in the northern hemisphere and one in the southern hemisphere.

However, the most recent images taken by amateur astronomers have revealed the lower stripe known as the Southern Equatorial Belt has disappeared leaving the southern half of the planet looking unusually bare.

The band was present in at the end of last year before Jupiter ducked behind the Sun on its orbit. However, when it emerged three months later the belt had disappeared.

The planet is a giant ball of gas and liquid around 500million miles from the Sun. It's surface is composed of dense red, brown, yellow, and white clouds arranged in light-coloured areas called zones and darker regions called belts.

These clouds are created by chemicals that have formed at different heights. The highest white clouds in the zones are made of crystals of frozen ammonia. Darker, lower clouds are created from chemicals including sulphur and phosphorus. The clouds are blown into bands by 350mph winds caused by Jupiter's rapid rotation.

Noted Jupiter watcher Anthony Wesley, who spotted an impact spot on its surface last year, has tracked the disappearing belt from his back garden in Australia.

'It was obvious last year that it was fading. It was closely observed by anyone watching Jupiter,' he told The Planetary Society.

'There was a big rush on to find out what had changed once it came back into view.'

Mr Wesley said while it was a mystery as to what had caused the belt to fade, the most likely explanation was that it was linked to storm activity that preceded the change.

'The question now is when will the South Equatorial belt erupt back into activity and reappear?' Mr Wesley said.

The pattern for this happening is when a brilliant white spot forms in the southern zone. Gradually it will start to spout dark blobs of material which will be stretched by Jupiter's fierce winds into a new belt, and the planet will return to its familiar 'tyre track' appearance.

Jupiter will be closest to Earth on September 24, offering stargazers their best chance of seeing it without its stripe.

Via DailyMail

Like Next Post Send Share WhatsApp

Copy Link

Did you mean:

Continue With: Facebook Google

By continuing, you agree to our T&C and Privacy Policy

Report copyright infringement

Print this content

You may also like:

Baba Recommends

Learn the Reason and Meaning Behind the Colors of These Objects

Did You Know These Interesting Facts About Colors?

A short article explaining why and how specific colors were chosen for everyday objects like cabs and police uniforms.

Science and Technology

Bite Sized Lessons About Earth and What Makes it Unique

Video Box: All the Things That Make Our Planet Tick

Give your brain a little scratch with a series of earth-themed general knowledge lessons in the form of quirky and cute animations.

Science and Technology

46:50

Deep Science: Why is Our Universe the Way It is?

Get ready to understand the Universe like never before...

Science and Technology

4:47

Here's What Would Happen If We Tried To Land on Jupiter

What would happen if we actually tried to land a spacecraft on Jupiter? Watch this video and find out.

Science and Technology

How Albert Einstein Changed the World Forever

7 Discoveries of Albert Einstein that Changed the World

The 7 biggest discoveries of Albert Einstein and how they changed the world forever.

Science and Technology

Take an Incredible Tour of Our Colossal Milky Galaxy

Take an Interactive Tour of Our Colossal Milky Way Galaxy

Fly Through the Milky Way Galaxy!

Health

Midlife Heart Damage May Lead to Dementia

Heart Damage in Midlife May Increase Risk of Dementia

A new study reveals that a blood test typically used to detect heart attacks could help identify who might develop dementia decades in the future.

Health

This Musical Test That Could Detect Dementia Early

The Musical Test That Could Detect Dementia Early

Researchers have developed a promising new approach: using music to detect the early signs of cognitive decline.

Related Topics: science, space, Jupiter, Belt

Quizzes

World History Quiz

Take a moment, channel your inner historian, and see how well you really know the grand story of humanity.

Can You Find the Correct Words?

ach definition is subtle, the choices deceptive—only the most perspicacious will rise to the top. Ready to stretch your vocabulary muscles?

Which Shade of Pink Matches You Perfectly?

We will ask you 12 questions about your life and inner world. You should answer honestly, and at the end of the test it will be revealed what the meaning of the shade of pink that best suits your character is.