Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Bright Spot on Venus Stumps Scientists..... (No Clue)
Space.Com ^ | July 30th, 2009

Posted on 07/31/2009 4:07:15 PM PDT by TaraP

A sudden bright spot that appeared in the clouds of Venus just days after a comet left a bruise on Jupiter has scientists stumped as to its cause.

Venus' bright spot, first noticed by amateur astronomer Frank Melillo of Holtsville, NY on July 19, is not the first such brightening noticed on our cloudy neighbor, said planetary scientist Sanjay Limaye of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

"We have seen such events before," he told SPACE.com.

This time is a little different though because the brightening is confined to a smaller region, Limaye said. It also came in the wake of Jupiter's own new (dark) spot, believed to be the result of a comet impact — Limaye attributes the fortunate confluence of the two events for the attention Venus is now getting in the astronomical community.

After Melillo reported the spot, other amateur astronomers and the European Space Agency's (ESA) Venus Express spacecraft confirmed the presence of the blemish.

The new Venus Express images show that the bright spot actually appeared in the planet's southern hemisphere four days before Melillo saw it and that it has since begun to spread out, becoming stretched by the wind's in Venus' thick atmosphere.

But just what caused the brightening is still a mystery. Theories have abounded, from a volcanic eruption to solar particles interacting with the planet's atmosphere.

Limaye says the volcano explanation is unlikely, for several reasons: Volcanoes on Venus seem to be less likely to blow their tops in Mount St. Helens-type fashion, instead behaving more like the oozing lava factories of Hawaii, so their eruptions wouldn't likely produce huge clouds of ash and steam. Also, it is unlikely that the explosions would have the power to push through to the other layers of Venus' extremely dense atmosphere.

Limaye doesn't completely rule out the possibility, however. "It's possible, we just don't know," he said.

Another explanation is that a coronal mass ejection (an energetic plume of plasma from the sun's corona) or the solar wind could have interacted with the clouds of Venus.

These "could cause something, we don't know what," Limaye said.

Yet another possibility is some internal change in Venus' atmosphere that could alter cloud particles and make them more reflective (and therefore brighter as viewed from space).

"Clearly something in the cloud properties changed," Limaye said.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events; Philosophy
KEYWORDS: astronomy; catastrophism; science; space; velikovsky; venus
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-39 next last

1 posted on 07/31/2009 4:07:16 PM PDT by TaraP
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: TaraP

In 2010 the planet with the spot is Jupiter.


2 posted on 07/31/2009 4:09:37 PM PDT by George from New England (escaped CT 2006; now living north of Tampa Bay)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TaraP
Venusian are sick of those pesky spacecraft crashing into their planet.


3 posted on 07/31/2009 4:11:12 PM PDT by Islander7 (If you want to anger conservatives, lie to them. If you want to anger liberals, tell them the truth.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TaraP

My God...it begins. The invasion to conquer.......oh that’s supposed to be Mars. Never mind.


4 posted on 07/31/2009 4:11:24 PM PDT by Since 2009-07-21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TaraP
I find it very refreshing about astronomical observation that "amateurs" often make discoveries and first sightings.
5 posted on 07/31/2009 4:11:46 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TaraP

6 posted on 07/31/2009 4:12:11 PM PDT by TaraP (*Religion* is Man trying to reach GOD.Christ is GOD reaching out to Man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: George from New England

I hope we are not entering a space full of asteroids or objects. The global economy could not withstand comet impacts.


7 posted on 07/31/2009 4:13:06 PM PDT by omega4179 ((/) Happened)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: TaraP

Venusian climate change.


8 posted on 07/31/2009 4:13:57 PM PDT by exit82 (Sarah Palin is President No. 45. Get behind her, GOP, or get out of the way.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TaraP

I’d be willing to bet that it’s an “ozone hole” caused by “global warming.” Of course, the NASA guys and a bunch of other kooks on this planet are currently wringing their hands over some shiny clouds they’ve been seeing on this planet. Could be aliens I guess.


9 posted on 07/31/2009 4:14:46 PM PDT by FlingWingFlyer (Stop the DemocRATS' War On America!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TaraP

The women are coming!

The WOMEN are coming!!!


10 posted on 07/31/2009 4:15:00 PM PDT by J40000
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: FlingWingFlyer
From Spaceweather today: CHANGES ON JUPITER: "On July 30th, it was evident that there is rapid evolution of Jupiter's impact debris cloud," reports amateur astronomer Raffaello Lena of Rome, Italy. "It is becoming very elongated." A polar projection shows the extent of the debris:
11 posted on 07/31/2009 4:17:05 PM PDT by TaraP (*Religion* is Man trying to reach GOD.Christ is GOD reaching out to Man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: TaraP

Up until now, it was Mars, Jupiter and other planets taking the wrath of Earth’s ‘solar’ wind of particles from Anthropogenic Global Warming. We only affected planets downstream of the solar wind. Now, based on this new data, we must conclude with consensus that Anthropogenic GW is getting SO INTENSE, its also able to surge upstream! Venus today... Mercury tomorrow... and then, we’re gonna be the cause of the demise of the Sun itself!


12 posted on 07/31/2009 4:18:49 PM PDT by C210N (A patriot for a Conservative Renaissance!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: All
July 27th while flying onboard an Air France Boeing 777," reports photographer Radek Grochowski. "It was exciting to see them shining delicately electric-blue against almost black sky. The photo barely shows what you could see with your eyes." Add Mongolia to the list of unaccustomed places NLCs have been sighted this year...
13 posted on 07/31/2009 4:19:18 PM PDT by TaraP (*Religion* is Man trying to reach GOD.Christ is GOD reaching out to Man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Star Traveler; Quix

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. MARK 13:31


14 posted on 07/31/2009 4:21:37 PM PDT by TaraP (*Religion* is Man trying to reach GOD.Christ is GOD reaching out to Man.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: TaraP

Scientists: Loss of Appendages Stumps Venus

15 posted on 07/31/2009 4:32:15 PM PDT by mikrofon
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TaraP

I can’t help it, but I have so much more respect for the guy on the left than the imposter on the right top corner of the picture.


16 posted on 07/31/2009 4:32:42 PM PDT by 353FMG (Death is Life without Freedom.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: TaraP

G- Spot?


17 posted on 07/31/2009 4:38:35 PM PDT by P.O.E. ((optional, printed after your name on post):)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TaraP

Another miss by the intergalatic weapons fired by the evil Lizardmaen of the Zargone zone.

First Jupiter, then the bracketing shot hits Venus...

We must find and take out their FiST team!

Oh forgot

Or we are DOOOOOOOOMMMMMMEEEEDDD (/bad echo effect)


18 posted on 07/31/2009 4:38:41 PM PDT by ASOC (Cave quid dicis, quando, et cui)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: TaraP

All of these brilliant discoveries by amateur astronomers. Astounding.

I’m not a professional astronomer by a long-shot, and my telescope is not very good. But I think there’s a hole in Uranus...


19 posted on 07/31/2009 4:41:10 PM PDT by Bon mots
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Islander7; Since 2009-07-21

This one’s about Venus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igpP7IVww_g


20 posted on 07/31/2009 4:42:45 PM PDT by gusopol3
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-39 next last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson