What is Jupiter's Red Spot?

1 Answer
Jan 29, 2015

Jupiter’s red spot, also known as The Great Red Spot is a giant, spinning storm in Jupiter's atmosphere.

The Great Red Spot is similar to a hurricane on Earth, but it is much, much larger. To give you an idea, Jupiter's Great Red Spot is more than twice the size of Earth!

Winds inside this storm reach speeds of about 270 miles per hour. Also, clouds associated with the storm are a staggering 8 km higher than those around it. This storm has been active for at least 400 years, or since the time scientists have been able to view it.

A theory about the continued existence of the Red Spot is the storm never comes in contact with land, and that it’s driven by Jupiter’s internal heat sources.

The Great Red Spot