The existence of large spots on planets often brings to mind Jupiter and its famous Great Red Spot. However, a recent study has unveiled a lesser-known large spot in our solar system on the planet Neptune. By utilizing the European Space Agency’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), scientists have been able to observe a massive dark spot on Neptune, measuring approximately 6,200 miles (10,000km) in diameter. This void is about 20 times larger than the Grand Canyon. Surprisingly, the dark spot is accompanied by a smaller bright spot, the formation of which remains a mystery.
Professor Patrick Irwin, the lead investigator of the study and a professor at the University of Oxford, explained that while these dark spots are known to be anticyclonic vortices similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, their formation and causes are not yet fully understood.
The dark spot on Neptune was initially discovered by NASA’s Voyager 2 spacecraft in 1989. However, it is not a permanent feature and disappears every few years. This makes detailed observation of the spot quite challenging. In 2018, NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope managed to spot the dark spot once again. Professor Irwin stated that several dark spots have been observed by the Hubble Space Telescope since Voyager 2, and they seem to appear randomly every few years in the northern or southern mid-latitudes before drifting towards the equator and eventually vanishing after about one Earth year.
In this recent study, Professor Irwin and his team had the opportunity to study the dark spot from the ground for the first time. The VLT is equipped with a Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer, which divides the sunlight reflected from Neptune into its component colors and wavelengths. This enabled the team to conduct a more detailed analysis of the spot. Professor Irwin expressed his excitement at being able to detect and record a reflection spectrum of such a feature for the first time, as different wavelengths provide information about the spot’s size, height, and chemical composition. The new observations have ruled out the possibility that the dark spots are caused by a clearing of clouds and suggest that they are likely the result of ice and haze mixing in the atmosphere, causing darkening of air particles.
The study also brought about an unexpected discovery. The researchers identified a rare deep bright cloud type near the dark spot, a finding that had never been made before, even from space. These rare clouds help explain the presence of the bright spot next to the larger dark spot.
The team hopes that these findings will highlight the capabilities of Earth-based telescopes, as the ability to observe these phenomena from the ground represents a significant advancement in technology. Dr. Michael Wong, a co-author of the study from the University of California, Berkeley, expressed enthusiasm about this progress, stating that initially, these spots could only be detected through spacecraft missions like Voyager. Subsequently, the Hubble Space Telescope enabled remote observation, and now ground-based instruments offer the same capability. Dr. Wong jokingly added that this could put him out of work as a Hubble observer.
In conclusion, the study sheds new light on a large dark spot on Neptune, providing valuable insights into its characteristics and formation. The use of the VLT and its advanced spectroscopic capabilities has allowed scientists to gain unprecedented knowledge about this enigmatic feature.
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