Power Up! Distant Uranus Sees A Storm Surge Of ‘Monstrous’ Proportions

universetoday.com ^ | August 7, 2014 | Elizabeth Howell on

[BenLurkin]

The Keck Observatory caught some spectacular pictures of the gas giant undergoing a large storm surge a few days ago, which took astronomers by surprise because the planet is well past the equinox in 2007, when the sun was highest above the equator.

“We are always anxious to see that first image of the night of any planet or satellite, as we never know what it might have in store for us,” stated Imke de Pater, an astronomer at the University of California, Berkeley that led the research.

“This extremely bright feature we saw on UT 6 August 2014 reminds me of a similarly bright storm we saw on Uranus’s southern hemisphere during the years leading up to and at equinox.”

[BenLurkin]

Huge storms on Uranus were spotted by the Keck Observatory on Aug. 5 and Aug. 6, 2014. Credit: Imke de Pater (UC Berkeley), Pat Fry (University of Wisconsin), Keck Observatory

[SpinnerWebb]

I dunno about Uranus... but mine seems to storm after tx_eggman’s chili.

Just sayin’.

[Yo-Yo]

More extraterrestrial SUVs.

[lafroste]

I wonder if this storm surge could be related to the huge CME that missed Earth by a week two years ago. Any opinions about this?

[ImJustAnotherOkie]

Very troubling development, flush early and often.

[Sybeck1]

Damn Klingons

[HereInTheHeartland]

“Uranus Sees A Storm Surge Of ‘Monstrous’ Proportions”

In a movie adaption; Bruce Willis will be aboard a spacecraft filled with Beano in an attempt to try to save the day.

[cripplecreek]

I’m guessing the storm is a result of internal heat rather than anything coming from the sun.

The outer planets are far more active with higher wind speeds than science predicted till we got a look.

[Sir Napsalot]

MSNBC host (or Kerry) -

Effect worsens by Global Warming (===> We need to do something now!)

[mikrofon]

[which] took astronomers by surprise because the planet is well past the equinox in 2007, when the sun was highest above the equator

And since Uranus typically sits well south of the equator where the Sun don't shine ....

[FlJoePa]

It's beautiful here in Jupiter. Some afternoon thunderstorms though.

[Don Corleone]

Looks like Global Climate Change (Warming) to me.

[COBOL2Java]

Paging Deb Feyerick...I'm sure she'll say it has something to do with global warming.

[VRWCarea51]

must be hemorrhoids flaring up.

[Huskrrrr]

Whoa!! I wondered what that smell was!

[MtnClimber]

Global warming!

[BigCinBigD]

Must have been the Chile...

[dfwgator]

Must be Klingons.

[dfwgator]

must be hemorrhoids flaring up.

You mean assteroids.

[AZLiberty]

Al Gore, Uranus is calling you.