NASA Image Reveals Jupiter As You've Never Seen It Before

Science Reporter

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In a newly shared image, NASA has uncovered a unique view of our solar system's largest planet.

The picture, snapped by the Hubble Space Telescope, reveals Jupiter shining in ultraviolet light.

In the image, Jupiter's famous Great Red Spot, which appears red in visible light, is a instead a remarkably bright shade of blue.

jupiter ultraviolet — Hubble Space Telescope image of an ultraviolet view of Jupiter (main) and true-color image of Jupiter, also taken by the Hubble Space Telescope (inset). Jupiter's Great Red Spot appears blue instead of red in ultraviolet. NASA, ESA, and M. Wong University of California - Berkeley); Processing: Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America / NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center / Space Telescope Science Institute

Ultraviolet light, or UV light, is a type of electromagnetic radiation that lies between visible light and X-rays on the electromagnetic spectrum. UV light is not visible to humans, but some animals (bees, for example) can see it.

Since we can't see what an image taken in UV would truly look light, this picture is a false-color composite, with the red, green and blue shades each coming from a different ultraviolet filter.

Jupiter's Great Red Spot is around 1.3 times the diameter of Earth, measuring some 10,000 miles across. The storm has been observed for potentially over 350 years, but definitely at least 150 years, and has been shrinking in size since its discovery.

"While people saw a big spot in Jupiter as early as they started stargazing through telescopes in the 1600s, it is still unclear whether they were looking at a different storm," NASA explains.

The winds within the Great Red Spot can reach speeds of up to 400mph, far faster than any storm here on Earth.

We aren't entirely sure exactly what gives the Great Red Spot its characteristic rusty hue.

"Studies predict Jupiter's upper atmosphere has clouds consisting of ammonia, ammonium hydrosulfide, and water," NASA said. "Still, scientists don't know exactly how or even whether these chemicals react to give colors like those in the Great Red Spot."

This unique image was released by NASA in honor of Jupiter reaching opposition, which is when Jupiter, Earth, and the sun are aligned, with Earth positioned directly between Jupiter and the sun.

During opposition, Jupiter is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit—typically around 367 million miles away—making it appear brighter and larger in the night sky.

This event happens approximately once every 13 months as Earth and Jupiter take different amounts of time to orbit the sun.

This month, Jupiter will appear lined up in the sky alongside Mars, Venus, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune, in a so-called "planetary parade".

Jupiter, Venus, Saturn and Mars are visible to the naked eye, but Neptune and Uranus require a telescope to spot, as they are too far away.

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