This photo of Jupiter’s clouds is a composite of images and data obtained by the Juno spacecraft during its approach to the giant planet in August 2020.
What do we see in today’s NASA image?
Major storms on Jupiter are different from those on Earth. Earth’s giant tornadoes and hurricanes form in low-pressure areas, but on Jupiter, the largest storms and tornadoes form in high-pressure areas. Major storms on Earth have a life span of a few weeks, while on Jupiter they can last for years. Both types of storms are accompanied by thunderstorms.
A rotating white cloud in the shape of an oval and smaller tornado clouds can be seen in the image. On Jupiter, light clouds are usually higher than dark clouds.
Despite the differences between storms on Jupiter and Earth, studying Jupiter’s storm clouds provides evidence about storms and other weather patterns on Earth.
