Hubble Sees Jupiter’s Red Spot Shrink to Smallest Size Ever

universetoday.com ^ | May 15, 2014 | Bob King on

[BenLurkin]

Recent Hubble Space Telescope observations confirm that the spot is now just under 10,250 miles (16,500 km) across, the smallest diameter we’ve ever measured,” said Amy Simon of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, USA.

Using historic sketches and photos from the late 1800s, astronomers determined the spot’s diameter then at 25,475 miles (41,000 km) across. Even the smallest telescope would have shown it as a huge red hot dog. Amateur observations starting in 2012 revealed a noticeable increase in the spot’s shrinkage rate.

The spot’s “waistline” is getting smaller by just under 620 miles (1,000 km) per year while its north-south extent has changed little. In a word, the spot has downsized and become more circular in shape. Many who’ve attempted to see Jupiter’s signature feature have been frustrated in recent years not only because the spot’s pale color makes it hard to see against adjacent cloud features, but because it’s physically getting smaller.

[Political Junkie Too]

BLM just ordered another thousand sub-machine guns to protect the spotted jumping tortoise from the shrinking red spot.

-PJ

[fieldmarshaldj]

[cripplecreek]

Juno will get there in 2016.

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/juno/main/index.html#.U3UluyibyME

[William of Barsoom]

I wonder if the Jupiterians are running around all panicked and issuing white papers and TeeVee talk shows about “Spot Shrinkage: The End Of Life On Jupiter!”

[hal ogen]

Shouldn’t that be “...ever observed”?

[mikrofon]

Even the smallest telescope would have shown it as a huge red hot dog

Weiner shrinkage is apparently a Universal problem ....

[Lazamataz]

FIRST THE GLACIERS, NOW JUPITER!!!!

[qam1]

It’s been consistently shrinking since it was discovered,

so isn’t anytime anyone looks at the GRS, it’s the “Smallest Size Ever Seen”?

Stupid headline

[GeronL]

CO2 must be causing this!

[Peter ODonnell]

Ancient astronaut theorists believe that the Great Red Spot is a portal to an alternate universe and may be where ancient aliens entered our solar system. If so, the shrinking of this object may signal a return of these aliens and an uncertain future for mankind on this planet.

(just made that up, don’t panic)

:) :)

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

Alternatively, Jupiter’s Herpes is going into remission.

[dfwgator]

[mdmathis6]

All these worlds are yours, except Europa...attempt no landings there....

[Vermont Lt]

Ever? Really? In all of Jupiter’s existence it’s never been smaller?

Or is it the smallest we’ve observed?

The editors who write headlines need to learn English.

[The Antiyuppie]

You may be on to something, I think that damn two by four from 2001 and 2010 is somehow behind this.

[OldNewYork]

Somewhere, someone is worrying about this.

[Talisker]

Somewhere, someone is worrying about this.

LOL, oh yeah!

[BenLurkin]

My thoughts as well.

Local weather guy said temps yesterday at one beach community were “the highest ever”.

Same stupidity.

[Wuli]

it must be man made climate change

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks BenLurkin, an APoD extra.

• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Hubble's Jupiter and the Amazing Shrinking Great Red Spot
• Astronomy Picture of the Day -- Jupiter's Great Red Spot from Voyager 1
• Will Jupiter’s Great Red Spot Turn into a Wee Red Dot?