Great Red Spot

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The Great Red Spot is a persistent, elliptical high-pressure region in the atmosphere of the planet Jupiter, producing the largest anticyclonic storm in the Solar System. It is the most recognizable feature on Jupiter owing to its red-orange color, whose origin is due to a sunburn effect, in which high-altitude chemical compounds are blasted by solar radiation. Located 22 degrees south of Jupiter's equator, it produces wind speeds up to 496 km/h (308 mph). It was first observed in September 1831, with 60 recorded observations between then and 1878, when continuous observations began. A similar spot was observed from 1665 to 1713; if this is the same storm, it has existed for at least 361 years, but a study from 2024 suggested this is not the case.

Read on Wikipedia · Image Kevin Gill from Los Angeles, CA, United States, CC BY 2.0