There’s a gigantic storm in our solar system, but we were wrong in what we knew about it

A scientific team has discovered something truly surprising on Jupiter

Jupiter is a really interesting planet. It has moons that could harbor life and even strange volcanic lakes that are still an enigma to all of us. Due to these unique characteristics, it is not surprising that scientific research on its nature is recurrent. Among them, one draws powerful attention: storm that has been revolving around the planet for centuriesor that’s what we thought until now.

In a profound article prepared by Universe Today, it has been possible to discover with quite certainty the way in which the oldest solar storm that we had a record of on our planet works.

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot (GRS) is a gigantic storm that astronomers have been observing since the 17th century. However, its formation and duration have been the subject of debate, as it was not known for certain whether we have been seeing the same phenomenon all this time.

The GRS is a huge anticyclonic vortexthat is, it rotates counterclockwise, and is larger than the Earth, with winds that exceed 400 km/h.

The earliest observations of the GRS date back to 1632, but it was then lost from view for 118 years until it was observed again in the 19th century. Recent research suggests that GRS that we see today, perhaps, was formed in the 19th century and has evolved to its current state.

Using complex computer simulations, has concluded that the GRS originated from an atmospheric cell that had been elongating and stretching uncontrollably generated by a tropical disturbance in Jupiter’s winds.

Image showing the formation of the GRS over time | Image from the study by Sánchez-Lavega et al. 2024

Based on this research, we can conclude that the Great Red Spot is at least 190 years old and is a fascinating phenomenon that continues to intrigue scientists. Despite its long history of observations, involving scientists more than four centuries old, there are still many unknowns about its formation and evolution, and researchers continue to study it to better understand this impressive vortex in the gas giant.

We still have a lot to know about these events and many others in our solar system. We are surrounded by truly original planets, some of which even have showers of diamonds, something that is truly ironic if we take into account that it is one of the rarest and most coveted materials in our environment.

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