Posted on 05/15/2014 1:08:00 PM PDT by BenLurkin
Recent Hubble Space Telescope observations confirm that the spot is now just under 10,250 miles (16,500 km) across, the smallest diameter weve ever measured, said Amy Simon of NASAs Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, USA.
Using historic sketches and photos from the late 1800s, astronomers determined the spots 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 spots shrinkage rate.
The spots 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 whove attempted to see Jupiters signature feature have been frustrated in recent years not only because the spots pale color makes it hard to see against adjacent cloud features, but because its physically getting smaller.
(Excerpt) Read more at universetoday.com ...
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