Skip to comments.
Neptune Sports Dark Vortex, Hubble Images Reveal
space.com ^
| 06/24/2016
| Nola Taylor Redd
Posted on 06/24/2016 10:19:46 AM PDT by BenLurkin
Neptune is sporting a new spot, the first one identified in the 21st century. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope confirmed the existence of the high-pressure system known as a dark vortex after bright clouds hinted at its presence.
"Dark vortices coast through the atmosphere like huge, lens-shaped gaseous mountains," research astronomer Mike Wong, of the University of California at Berkeley, said in a statement. Wong led the team that analyzed the Hubble data.
"And the companion clouds are similar to so-called organic clouds that appear as pancake-shaped features lingering over mountains on Earth," he added
Both professional and amateur astronomers started seeing the bright clouds on the ice giant in July 2015. Companion clouds form when air flowing on the planet is disturbed and cast upward by a dark vortex. At high elevations, the gas freezes into methane crystals, forming clouds. This provided the first hint of a newly formed vortex, since the high-pressure systems are typically only visible at blue wavelengths.
...
The newfound maelstrom measures roughly 3,000 miles (4,800 kilometers) across, and lies in the planet's southern hemisphere. Other high-altitude clouds cross the planet at its poles and equator.
(Excerpt) Read more at space.com ...
TOPICS: Astronomy
KEYWORDS: darkvortex; hst; mikewong; neptune
1
posted on
06/24/2016 10:19:46 AM PDT
by
BenLurkin
2
posted on
06/24/2016 10:20:28 AM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
To: BenLurkin
To: Verginius Rufus
Thank goodness.
I thought for sure the first post would be about that other planet out there.
4
posted on
06/24/2016 10:28:18 AM PDT
by
BenLurkin
(The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
To: BenLurkin
Thank god it wasn’t spotted on Uranus~!
5
posted on
06/24/2016 10:28:43 AM PDT
by
tet68
( " We would not die in that man's company, that fears his fellowship to die with us...." Henry V.)
To: BenLurkin
1000 mph winds. Global warming to blame for sure - man-made. The CO2 was transported by the two Voyagers.
6
posted on
06/24/2016 10:31:37 AM PDT
by
NohSpinZone
(First thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers)
To: BenLurkin
"That other planet out there."
You mean Pluto?
To: SunkenCiv
The earth also has a dark vortex somewhere between Virginia and Maryland, though it is probably on a golf course at the moment
9
posted on
06/24/2016 10:40:27 AM PDT
by
dsrtsage
(One half of all people have below average IQ. In the US the number is 54%)
To: BenLurkin
10
posted on
06/24/2016 10:41:07 AM PDT
by
real saxophonist
( YouTube + Twitter + Facebook = YouTwitFace.com)
To: tet68
there are Klingons circling around Uranus!
11
posted on
06/24/2016 11:39:31 AM PDT
by
2nd Amendment
(Proud member of the 48% . . giver not a taker)
To: BenLurkin
Black spots are caused by Davy Jones.
Versus
Are you ready to rumble?
12
posted on
06/24/2016 11:40:04 AM PDT
by
DannyTN
(is)
To: BenLurkin
"There is a strom coming."
13
posted on
06/24/2016 11:47:40 AM PDT
by
DannyTN
To: DannyTN
Time for the penguin on top of your Teli to explode!
14
posted on
06/24/2016 11:54:27 AM PDT
by
Mat_Helm
To: Mat_Helm
“Odd that penguin being there, isn’t it?”
15
posted on
06/24/2016 12:26:59 PM PDT
by
BBB333
(Q: Which is grammatically correct? Joe Biden IS or Joe Biden ARE an idiot?)
To: real saxophonist
16
posted on
06/24/2016 1:13:22 PM PDT
by
onedoug
To: KevinDavis; annie laurie; Knitting A Conundrum; Viking2002; Ernest_at_the_Beach; Mmogamer; ...
17
posted on
06/25/2016 4:46:44 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(I'll tell you what's wrong with society -- no one drinks from the skulls of their enemies anymore.)
To: fieldmarshaldj; brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; disndat; KoRn; Grammy; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...
Thanks fieldmarshaldj, extra to APoD.
18
posted on
06/25/2016 4:46:53 AM PDT
by
SunkenCiv
(I'll tell you what's wrong with society -- no one drinks from the skulls of their enemies anymore.)
To: BenLurkin
<img src=http://www.space.com/images/i/000/056/446/original/neptune-dark-vortex.jpg?interpolation=lanczos-none&downsize=*:1400>
Posts:
19
posted on
06/25/2016 6:37:36 AM PDT
by
null and void
(Hillary Milhouse Clinton: I'm not a c-c-c-crook! Crook! Yeah, that's the c-word I was looking for!)
To: null and void
The dark spot on Neptune: a Blue light special.
Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson