Posted on Jun 03, 2010 10:45:22 AM | John Entwistle | 25 Comments
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It's 2010 and something interesting about the appearance of Jupiter was recently found -- The brown cloudy band in the southern equatorial area is gone. This finding has many wondering what happened to the “stripe” or Southern Equatorial Belt? "This is a big event," says planetary scientist Glenn Orton of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab. "We're monitoring the situation closely and do not yet fully understand what's going on." The loss of such an enormous "stripe" can be seen with ease halfway across the solar system. So what could be the source of the disappearance of this stripe?
Orton suspects changes in global wind patterns have brought ammonia-rich material into the clear, cold zone above the SEB, setting the stage for formation of the high-altitude, icy clouds. So the belt is not gone, just hiding below higher clouds. No one knows for sure what has truly happened to Jupiter’s “stripe.” But it can be concluded that Jupiter's atmosphere is a mysterious place that would benefit from exploration.
25
On Jun 08, 2010 09:00:58 AM
guest
added a comment on your blog post.
Apparently, this happens fairly often, every 15-20 years or so. Only this time it happened sooner than expected. It remains to be seen if the band will re-emerge (as it has every time it faded away in the past).
24
On Jun 08, 2010 05:13:30 AM
guest
added a comment on your blog post.
Jupitar is big
23
On Jun 07, 2010 02:32:50 PM
Steve
added a comment on your blog post.
Thanks; this is something interesting to show at a future astronomical star-party. Jupiter is a popular object to view at these events.
22
On Jun 04, 2010 05:19:54 PM
The Real Kompa
added a comment on your blog post.
Quickly everybody blame "Global Warming" or maybe its BP's Fault!
Not this time, see planets do change from time to time and it only can take a few short months.
21
On Jun 04, 2010 05:28:49 PM
Brett
added a comment on your blog post.
Must be global warming.
20
On Jun 04, 2010 05:29:31 PM
Elliott
added a comment on your blog post.
Wasn't there a comet impact on Jupiter recently photographed by hubble? Maybe that was the cause?
19
On Jun 04, 2010 06:15:50 PM
guest
added a comment on your blog post.
It's global warming, I tell you. Again!
18
On Jun 04, 2010 05:34:41 PM
Kolby
added a comment on your blog post.
"Sad"? It is what it is. With how much we blame ourselves for changes on our own planet, it's refreshing to see proof that major changes in nature can occur without human contact. Maybe Jupiterians are to blame! ;)
17
On Jun 04, 2010 06:17:24 PM
guest
added a comment on your blog post.
Planet NIBURU (Planet X) IS COMINGG!!!!! THAT IS THE REASONNN!!!!
Dont hide nasa!!
16
On Jun 04, 2010 06:19:17 PM
Margaret Apple
added a comment on your blog post.
I am against my tax dollars going to search for missing stripes halfway across the "Solar System." There are plenty of stripes right here in the USA that we could search for instead.
15
On Jun 04, 2010 07:03:48 PM
guest
added a comment on your blog post.
See what our global warming is doing to this solar system!11!1
14
On Jun 04, 2010 07:28:23 PM
SEER
added a comment on your blog post.
This event was foretold in the prophesies when the great god of Jupiter is angered and sheds its bands, the end of times is at hand.
More stripes will be lost in the coming days, for the end of times are beginning as was prophesied.
13
On Jun 04, 2010 06:13:36 PM
guest
added a comment on your blog post.
The Tea Baggers are going to blame Obama for this
12
On Jun 04, 2010 07:41:10 PM
guest
added a comment on your blog post.
Global warming.
11
On Jun 04, 2010 07:30:31 PM
guest
added a comment on your blog post.
Oh, and please shore up your sentence structure. Jupiter's atmosphere wouldnt benefit at all from exploration, though we may benefit through exploring it.
Gah... brain hurts reading that.
10
On Jun 04, 2010 07:54:37 PM
guest
added a comment on your blog post.
OMG Jupiter has global warming too!!!! Stop driving your gas guzzlers your are affecting other planets now!!!
9
On Jun 04, 2010 11:06:31 PM
guest
added a comment on your blog post.
@Poster 1 - Faith - How is this 'very sad'? Change in itself isn't bad if that's what your implying.
8
On Jun 05, 2010 11:22:18 AM
Shawn B
added a comment on your blog post.
What a strange and wonderful place our universe is.
7
On Jun 05, 2010 09:39:42 AM
DDayDawg
added a comment on your blog post.
It's global warming! Damn you Al Gore...
6
On Jun 05, 2010 11:12:22 AM
guest
added a comment on your blog post.
Sad? Did you read the article? It's still there, just under clouds. This is a ridiculous article. Planets are in constant change. NASA of all people should know this.
5
On Jun 05, 2010 08:27:09 AM
jared
added a comment on your blog post.
ok i've got to point this out. so the earth is changing, everyone is saying its man-made global warming. but then we start seeing other planets undergo massive atmospheric changes, can we still cling to this notion that the human civilization ( a mere blink of an eye when compared to the lifespan of the earth as a whole) cuases this massive change in our climate? or maybe we should start looking at the earth as an organism, and its inhabitants either probiotics, or viral infections. we can influence it, but not to the extent as what most would have us believe. maybe i'm off base, im not a climatologist, im a bioligist.
4
On Jun 05, 2010 02:13:43 AM
igloo
added a comment on your blog post.
"But it can be concluded that Jupiter's atmosphere is a mysterious place that would benefit from exploration."
I very much doubt Jupiter would see any benefit from us exploring it's atmosphere. We might, but it wouldn't.
3
On Jun 05, 2010 05:31:09 PM
ilikebigbutts
added a comment on your blog post.
well thats cool
2
On Jun 06, 2010 06:12:58 AM
Quark
added a comment on your blog post.
Yeah Faith, I bet it is because of the oil spill in the ocean, God must be punishing us for not taking care of the ocean.
1
On Jun 04, 2010 02:58:06 PM
Faith
added a comment on your blog post.
This is very sad and looks like the way of things to come.
Thank you for all the information on this site. I visit regularly and will keep myself updated on this post.
Orton suspects changes in global wind patterns have brought ammonia-rich material into the clear, cold zone above the SEB, setting the stage for formation of the high-altitude, icy clouds. So the belt is not gone, just hiding below higher clouds. No one knows for sure what has truly happened to Jupiter’s “stripe.” But it can be concluded that Jupiter's atmosphere is a mysterious place that would benefit from exploration.For more information, visit http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/20may_loststripe/Link to the NES Virtual Campus
Apparently, this happens fairly often, every 15-20 years or so. Only this time it happened sooner than expected. It remains to be seen if the band will re-emerge (as it has every time it faded away in the past).
Jupitar is big
Thanks; this is something interesting to show at a future astronomical star-party. Jupiter is a popular object to view at these events.
Quickly everybody blame "Global Warming" or maybe its BP's Fault!
Not this time, see planets do change from time to time and it only can take a few short months.
Must be global warming.
Wasn't there a comet impact on Jupiter recently photographed by hubble? Maybe that was the cause?
It's global warming, I tell you. Again!
"Sad"? It is what it is. With how much we blame ourselves for changes on our own planet, it's refreshing to see proof that major changes in nature can occur without human contact. Maybe Jupiterians are to blame! ;)
Planet NIBURU (Planet X) IS COMINGG!!!!!
THAT IS THE REASONNN!!!!
Dont hide nasa!!
I am against my tax dollars going to search for missing stripes halfway across the "Solar System." There are plenty of stripes right here in the USA that we could search for instead.
See what our global warming is doing to this solar system!11!1
This event was foretold in the prophesies when the great god of Jupiter is angered and sheds its bands, the end of times is at hand.
More stripes will be lost in the coming days, for the end of times are beginning as was prophesied.
The Tea Baggers are going to blame Obama for this
Global warming.
Oh, and please shore up your sentence structure.
Jupiter's atmosphere wouldnt benefit at all from exploration, though we may benefit through exploring it.
Gah... brain hurts reading that.
OMG Jupiter has global warming too!!!! Stop driving your gas guzzlers your are affecting other planets now!!!
@Poster 1 - Faith - How is this 'very sad'? Change in itself isn't bad if that's what your implying.
What a strange and wonderful place our universe is.
It's global warming! Damn you Al Gore...
Sad? Did you read the article? It's still there, just under clouds. This is a ridiculous article. Planets are in constant change. NASA of all people should know this.
ok i've got to point this out. so the earth is changing, everyone is saying its man-made global warming. but then we start seeing other planets undergo massive atmospheric changes, can we still cling to this notion that the human civilization ( a mere blink of an eye when compared to the lifespan of the earth as a whole) cuases this massive change in our climate? or maybe we should start looking at the earth as an organism, and its inhabitants either probiotics, or viral infections. we can influence it, but not to the extent as what most would have us believe. maybe i'm off base, im not a climatologist, im a bioligist.
"But it can be concluded that Jupiter's atmosphere is a mysterious place that would benefit from exploration."
I very much doubt Jupiter would see any benefit from us exploring it's atmosphere. We might, but it wouldn't.
well thats cool
Yeah Faith, I bet it is because of the oil spill in the ocean, God must be punishing us for not taking care of the ocean.
This is very sad and looks like the way of things to come.
Thank you for all the information on this site. I visit regularly and will keep myself updated on this post.