Jupiter is already well known for its Great Red Spot storm which is visible through binoculas. That spot was first observed by Robert Hooke in 1664. It was also noted by Cassini, the Italian-French astronomer. Drawings of it appeared in 1831 by William Dawes and later by other astronomers.
But there has been a smaller spot growing, officially known as Oval BA, but also as Little Red Spot or Red Spot Junior It is about half the size of the famous Great Red Spot and almost exactly the same colour. Oval BA first appeared in the year 2000 when three three white oval-shaped storms (two of which were at least 90 years old) collided and merged between 1998 and 2000.
A similar merger centuries ago may have created the original Great Red Spot, a storm twice as wide as our planet and at least 300 years old.
It now looks likely that these two Red Spots will collide. It is thought that Jupiter is in the midst of a global climate change.
2006-07-01
00:31:05
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