Jupiter’s north pole tagged posts

Over the years, passing spacecraft have observed mystifying weather patterns at the poles of Jupiter and Saturn. The two planets host very different types of polar vortices, which are huge atmospheric whirlpools that rotate over a planet’s polar region. On Saturn, a single massive polar vortex appears to cap the north pole in a curiously hexagonal shape, while on Jupiter, a central polar vortex is surrounded by eight smaller vortices, like a pan of swirling cinnamon rolls.

Given that both planet...

NASA’s Juno spacecraft captured this view as it closed in on Jupiter’s north pole, about two hours before closest approach on Aug. 27, 2016. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS

NASA’s Juno spacecraft has sent back the 1st-ever images of Jupiter’s north pole, taken during the spacecraft’s first flyby of the planet with its instruments switched on. The images show storm systems and weather activity unlike anything previously seen on any of our solar system’s gas giant planets. Juno successfully executed the first of 36 orbital flybys on Aug. 27 when the spacecraft came about 2,500 miles above Jupiter’s swirling clouds. The download of 6 Mb of data collected during the 6h transit, from above Jupiter’s north pole to below its south pole, took one and a half days...