Researchers found Earth-sized dark spots at Jupiter's poles, caused by magnetic vortices, seen in UV light.

Researchers have discovered Earth-sized dark spots at Jupiter's poles that appear and disappear over time, created by magnetic vortices. These dark ovals, seen in ultraviolet wavelengths, are part of dense hydrocarbon hazes and form due to interactions between Jupiter's magnetic field and its ionosphere or plasma sheet around its moon Io. The findings, from Hubble Space Telescope observations, reveal new connections between Jupiter's magnetic field and its atmospheric processes.

November 26, 2024
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