Chapter 1: The Colossal Storm of Jupiter

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is an extraordinary storm of immense scale. This phenomenon is often compared to hurricanes on Earth, which typically form near the equator and occasionally make landfall. While terrestrial hurricanes can be powerful, their duration pales in comparison. For instance, the largest hurricane on record on Earth, spanning 1,000 miles, reached wind speeds of 200 mph and lasted 31 days as Hurricane John did in 1994. In stark contrast, the Great Red Spot is a tempest so vast that it could envelop our entire planet, with wind speeds nearing 400 mph and a history of existence that spans over 300 years!

The Great Red Spot is recognized as the most significant anticyclonic storm in our solar system. Situated 22 degrees south of Jupiter’s equator, this storm rotates counterclockwise, completing one full rotation every 6 Earth days (or 14 Jovian days). As of April 2017, its diameter was reported to be 1.3 times that of Earth, bordered by eastward and westward-moving jet streams that help maintain its structure.

The earliest sightings of the Great Red Spot can be traced back to 1655, attributed to astronomer Giovanni Cassini. Observations continued until 1713, but the storm remained unobserved until it reappeared in 1831, noted by Samuel Schwabe. This raises the question of whether the storm we observe today is the same one seen in the 17th century. If it is, then it has been raging for over 300 years. Alternatively, if the original storm dissipated, we have been witnessing a new formation, which has still been active for more than a century.

Chapter 2: The Ongoing Mystery of the Great Red Spot

Despite its long history, the origins of the Great Red Spot remain elusive. It may have developed from a series of smaller storms merging together. Our limited understanding of Jupiter’s surface, which is predominantly composed of liquid hydrogen without any solid landmasses, complicates this investigation. Jupiter's thick atmosphere, consisting mainly of hydrogen and helium, further hinders surface studies.

This video titled "Jupiter's Great Red Spot Shrinks and Grows" provides insight into the storm's ongoing changes and characteristics.

The continuous existence of the Great Red Spot can be attributed to its liquid surface, which allows storms to persist far longer than those on Earth, where land friction dissipates energy. Moreover, Jupiter's atmosphere is significantly thicker than Earth's, which limits the size and longevity of storms on our planet.

In the video "Jupiter's Red Spot: It's Not What You Think," viewers can explore the various theories regarding the storm's distinctive red hue. The exact cause of this coloration remains uncertain, but it may result from ultraviolet radiation interacting with ammonium hydrosulfide and acetylene, leading to organic compounds that impart a reddish shade.

The Great Red Spot has been observed to be shrinking over time. In the 1800s, it was large enough to accommodate four Earths. By 1979, it had diminished to twice the size of our planet. While some scientists predict it may vanish within the next few decades, others argue that despite its decreasing diameter, its thickness has remained consistent at around 170 kilometers since 1979. As such, the future of the Great Red Spot continues to be a topic of intrigue.

“The GRS will in a decade or two become the GRC (Great Red Circle),” speculates Glenn Orton, a member of NASA's Juno mission, as reported by Business Insider.

As we delve deeper into the wonders of our solar system, studying phenomena like the Great Red Spot not only enhances our understanding of Jupiter but also aids in predicting atmospheric conditions on exoplanets. By examining molecular signatures and cloud formations similar to those on Jupiter, we can better determine the suitability of distant planets for exploration.