"NASA is reporting that a small storm that formed on Jupiter last year has changed color from white to red. According to an article in Yahoo News, scientist Amy Simon-Miller speculates that the storm might have gained strength as it decreased in size, similar to how 'spinning ice skaters go faster when they move their arms closer.' She says that the storm has probably 'picked up red material from lower in the Jupiter atmosphere, most likely some form of sulfur which turns red as part of a chemical reaction ...' Well, we might be one planet down, but our Solar System can still surprise." Source: Slashdot | Jupiter's Little White Spot Turns Red
Wow, jupiter is crazy. "Little Red Spot winds, now raging up to approximately 400 miles per hour..." "Although it seems small when viewed against Jupiter's vast scale, the Little Red Spot is actually about the size of Earth, and the Great Red Spot is around three Earth diameters across."
Jupiters atmosphere is confusing as hell! It rotates in opposite directions and allsorts. In all the years ive been interested in astronomy ive never really looked at the NASA website. Im glad you posted this article because it might have been a few months till I read this one.... NASA - NASA Scientists Determine the Nature of Black Hole Jets Ive not had chance to read all of this one but its another interesting article. NASA - After Trio of Explosions, Scientists Say Supernova Is Imminent
I dabble in astronamy from time to time. I am more interested in Jupiter's moons then Jupiter. Europa *could* support some form of life
Yea, its kinda how we expect to earth to have been when chemical evolution occured here. I had to do a project on that topic a couple of years ago only I chose to base it around Titan because of the Cassini-Huygens was coming up. The moons in many ways are more interesting than the planets themselves. There are loads of them so its not really surprising, just harder to study thats the only thing.
UKTV History ran a series of astronamy programs called 'The Planets' recently which were from the BBC. They were pretty interesting. A few of the episodes covered the Voyager missions around Saturn and Jupiter. If I remember correctly, Titan is another candidate for possible life. Which planet does it orbit? The theory goes that when the sun turns into a red giant and expands, Europa and Titan will heat up. The conditions of both planets will be able to support life. Just as well because the earth will most likely get swallowed when the sun expands It's not something I have to worry about though. Unless there is life after death
or your children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or there children, or even there children (or there children )
4.5 billion years worth of children Thats how long is left untill our sun goes on to the next stage of its life. Titan is over Saturn. I cant really remember the key differences between the two, even if I could it may well be irrelevant because of new theories after the Cassini-Huygens mission. Titan had far less light on the surface because of the atmosphere of nitrogen (I think), which would make it cold. Around 100K I think. Not really as cold as it could be for some reason. I think parts of our moon goes down to 50K. It was thought there are seas of methane too. Europa supposidly had ice, whether it was water ice I dont know. The only thing I picked up on from the Cassini-Huygens mission was that Titan had a young surface. Europa is apparently the same which means there is some form of hot mantle on both moons. Volcanos are more than likely there but more importantly there is probably hot outlets (like earths black smokers) under the oceans. This is where they assume chemical evolution occured on earth. Chemical evolution is just the evolution of conventional molecules into cells. Like I said, im a bit behind the times on astrobiology and planetary science but the solar system formed 4.5 billion years ago and within 200-300 million years later they think life was on Earth. I personally dont think chemical evolution could occur in such a short period, even knowing how Earth is such a good host for life it seems too quick. If it didnt occur on Earth then it was put here, most likely by a comet or two (usually made of ice and dust, but sometimes contain rock) but even then the odds are slim. One comet with life on supplying the Earth.... it was a lucky one if one comet did the job on its own. For there to be more than one comet hit Earth containing life then for two comets in the same place with a key characteristic kinda says they originated from the same area of space... this would have to the solar system. It would also have had to host chemical evolution in the 200-300 million year time period... this makes Earth a better candidate for chemical evolution. For more than one comet holding life to hit Earth which originated outside our solar system is a very long shot! The solar system keeps growing and growing in that its far far bigger than we used to think. The only way we will be able to know for sure is to see it happen, hence Titan and Europa. There are going to be tons more moons we dont know about too so maybe its just a matter of time. Theres enough data from the mission to Titan to keep us going for a long time so who knows... we might already have the answers.
If such a long cycle survives then they might be living on many other galaxies and planets as well....So not to worry :doh:
