Jupiter

Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is a long-lived atmospheric vortex whose visible clouds form only the outermost view. Juno’s microwave and gravity measurements constrain how storms and jets extend below the cloud tops. The planet’s rapid rotation helps organise its bands and circulation, while its internal heat supplies energy beyond absorbed sunlight. Comparing different instruments reveals why a colourful cloud image cannot be read as a complete map of the weather system.

Mean diameter

139,822 km

Rotation

9 h 56 min

Year

11.86 Earth years