Great Red Spot is probably younger than expected

But that may not be the case, a new study suggests, which suggests that the Great Red Spot — a massive cyclone on Jupiter’s surface — is most likely a newer, much younger storm.

Red spot was not observed again until 1831
Science had lost sight of the ‘permanent spot’ discovered by Cassini in the 17th century. The last sighting of this spot dates back to 1713. It was not until 1831 that the now famous Great Red Spot was observed, which happens to be on the same latitude as the original ‘Permanent Spot’.

“From the measurements of size and motion, we found that it is very unlikely that the current Great Red Spot was the ‘permanent spot’ that Cassini observed,” said study leader and planetary scientist Agustín Sánchez-Lavega from the University of the Basque Country. Bilbao, Spain. “The ‘Permanent Spot’ probably disappeared sometime between the mid-18th and 19th centuries.” The Great Red Spot is therefore not older than 350 years, but only around 190 years old.

The diameter has shrunk considerably since 1879
The Great Red Spot is a huge atmospheric vortex with a diameter approximately the same as that of our Earth. However, in 1879 the route was still 39,000 kilometers long.

On the outer edge, wind speeds of 450 kilometers per hour rage. Its characteristic color is the result of chemical reactions in the atmosphere and stands in stark contrast to the gas giant’s other bright clouds.