Dark and active Jupiter

Dark and active Jupiter

The picture shows the intensity of the jets and eddies on the Northern Temperate Jupiter. On May 23, 2018, the Juno spacecraft captured this color image during its 13th passing flight. At that time, the distance was 7900 km from cloudy peaks at 41 degrees north latitude.

The northern temperate zone is a reddish-orange band to the left of the center. It rotates in the same direction as the planet, and acts primarily cyclonic. That is, the formation rotates counterclockwise. In the belt you can see two anticyclones (gray).

To the left of the belt is a brighter band (Northern temperate zone) with high clouds, the vertical relief of which is emphasized by the low angle of sunlight near the terminator (the line separating the illuminated part from the dark one). Clouds are likely formed from ammonia-ice crystals or a combination of ammonia ice and water. Researchers believe that the large dark areas are places where the clouds are located deeper (IR observations). The assumption is made on the basis of the Juno JIRAM experiment and observations in the terrestrial environment.

A bright striped structure is visible to the right of the bright zone and further north. You can see the area of ​​individual cyclones, alternating with smaller darker anticyclones.

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