The study of Jupiter has always fascinated scientists, as this giant sphere is of great interest. On September 5, 1977, NASA launched the Voyager 1 automatic interplanetary station weighing 723 kg into space. The project was approved in 1972, and for 40 years of flight, the device separated from the Earth by almost 20 billion kilometers and became the farthest artificial object (“Voyager 1 sees Jupiter’s red great spot”). Voyager 1 was the first spacecraft to take detailed images of the satellites of these planets. The maximum approach of the station to Jupiter took place on June 6, 1979 (“Voyager 1 sees Jupiter’s red great spot”). This was one of the pictures the station took when it was close to Jupiter.
At first sight, the picture reminds one of a painting, but one may observe unusual swirls when one looks closely at it. These remind me of enormous hurricanes that sweep away everything on their way. Besides, these vortexes look like sandy hills from up above. The red spot is the most distinguishable – perhaps, it is the epicenter of all the storms on the planet. The whole globe has many swirls across its surface. In general, Jupiter is quite a unique planet in terms of structure.
From the scientific perspective, it is called the Great Red Spot on Jupiter – the most remarkable sight seen from a distance on the surface of Jupiter. It is an immense vortex in the Solar System capable of devouring a whole planet such as Earth. The size of this swirl was noticeably larger than today — it could accommodate not one but three spheres at once. The spot is located at about 22° south latitude and moves parallel to the equator of the Earth. The scientists tried to identify what this spot was and trace its lifespan.
Reference
Voyager 1 sees Jupiter’s great red spot. (2017). Astronomy Now. Web.