Jupiter Close to Earth

Jupiter Close to Earth
















Today, Dec. 3rd, Jupiter makes its closest approach to Earth
until 2021. The giant planet rises at sunset–it looks like a very bright
star–and soars overhead at midnight. If you have a backyard telescope
take a look! [sky map]

Everyone knows about Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, a giant
anti-cyclone twice the size of Earth, but what about the great storm’s
two companions? On the eve of closest approach, Glenn Jolly of Gilbert,
Arizona, looked through his 14-inch telescope and saw three red swirls:



“The Great Red Spot was in full view along with its current associates”, says Jolly.

To the upper left of the GRS, the medium-sized storm is “Red Spot Jr.,”
also known as “Oval BA,” which appeared in the year 2000 when three
smaller storms collided and merged. It is about the size of Earth. Red
Jr.’s satellite storm is a more recent addition coincidentally about the
size of the Moon. Together, the trio are easy targets for backyard
telescopes.

[Source]

More Jupiter photos here: Realtime Jupiter Photo Gallery



Thanks to: http://philosophers-stone.co.uk