Viewing Jupiter in ultraviolet light enhances the planet’s storms, revealing their true nature. The Hubble Space Telescope recently captured a breathtaking ultraviolet image of the gas giant, showcasing its turbulent atmosphere in stunning false-color. Notably, Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is prominently featured in this image. The concentration of haze particles high above this ancient storm causes them to absorb ultraviolet light, making the spot even more visible.
Conversely, the polar regions of Jupiter have less prominent clouds, as the atmosphere there absorbs less ultraviolet light. This divergence may be due to variations in particle size, composition, or altitude between the polar and lower latitude regions.
Related: Stunning new images of Jupiter reveal atmosphere details in different light (video)
The Hubble Space Telescope captured this image by utilizing three different filters to gather data across various ultraviolet wavelengths. Since humans cannot see ultraviolet light, astronomers assigned distinct colors to each set of data: blue, green, and red.
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This image, along with the collected data, will enable scientists to explore the interior layers of Jupiter by peeling away its atmospheric layers. By mapping water clouds deep within the planet’s atmosphere, researchers aim to gain insights into their shapes and structures.
Astronomers have been observing Jupiter with the Hubble Space Telescope for several decades. Notably, Hubble watched as debris from the comet Shoemaker-Levy collided with Jupiter’s surface in 1994.
Additionally, NASA’s groundbreaking James Webb Space Telescope has recently directed its attention towards Jupiter, unveiling intricate jet streams and mesmerizing views of the largest planet in our solar system.
