{"id":228499,"date":"2026-01-11T17:29:14","date_gmt":"2026-01-11T17:29:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/228499\/"},"modified":"2026-01-11T17:29:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-11T17:29:14","slug":"astronomers-stunned-jupiters-giant-storm-wobbles-like-a-bowl-of-gelatin","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/nz\/228499\/","title":{"rendered":"Astronomers stunned: Jupiter\u2019s giant storm wobbles like a bowl of gelatin"},"content":{"rendered":"

For more than 150 years, astronomers have watched Jupiter\u2019s Great Red Spot swirl across the planet\u2019s atmosphere. But new observations from the Hubble Space Telescope have revealed something no one expected \u2014 this enormous storm behaves more like a bowl of wobbling jelly than a stable weather system.<\/p>\n

Imagine a stress ball being squeezed and released, or a beating heart pulsing in slow motion. That\u2019s how scientists describe the strange motion now seen in Jupiter<\/a>\u2019s Great Red Spot. According to findings published in the Planetary Science Journal, the storm is far less stable than it appeared during a century and a half of continuous observation.<\/p>\n

A mystery with no clear explanation<\/p>\n

Between December 2023 and March 2024, Hubble closely monitored the storm, capturing a series of high-resolution images. The results were startling: the Great Red Spot seems to expand and compress in a rhythmic cycle while speeding up and slowing down. Its central region even grows brighter as it swells.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is completely unexpected. For now, we have no explanation,\u201d said Amy Simon of NASA\u2019s Goddard Space Flight Center.<\/p>\n

NASA\u2019s official Hubble account shared the discovery on X (formerly Twitter), posting:<\/p>\n

\u201cJupiter\u2019s Great Red Spot is full of surprises. Hubble\u2019s new observations of this famous storm discovered that its size isn\u2019t as stable as once thought. It\u2019s squeezing in and out at the same time as it moves faster and slower.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jupiter\u2019s Great Red Spot is full of surprises.<\/p>\n

Hubble\u2019s new observations of this famous storm discovered that its size isn\u2019t as stable as once thought. It\u2019s squeezing in and out at the same time as it moves faster and slower. <\/p>\n

Find out more: https:\/\/t.co\/WjrG28fl57<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/WgzViBr9YC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Hubble (@NASAHubble) October 9, 2024<\/a> <\/p>\n

Scientists still don\u2019t have enough data to fully understand what\u2019s happening. The latest Hubble campaign only covered a single oscillation cycle, leaving plenty of questions unanswered. Future high-resolution imaging should help identify what drives the storm\u2019s changing shape, size, and color.<\/p>\n

Why the Great Red Spot matters<\/p>\n

Over longer periods, astronomers have confirmed that Jupiter\u2019s Great Red Spot is gradually shrinking. Eventually, it may settle into a smaller, more stable form \u2014 likely once it locks into a wind band capable of holding it steady.<\/p>\n

Researchers plan to keep a close eye on this giant vortex<\/a>, because understanding the dynamics of Jupiter\u2019s most famous storm could offer insight into the broader physics of weather itself. Studying how the Great Red Spot behaves not only helps scientists refine theories about hurricanes on Earth but could also improve how we predict atmospheric patterns on distant exoplanets.<\/p>\n

Even after centuries of observation, Jupiter\u2019s most iconic feature continues to surprise us \u2014 a swirling reminder that the universe is never as calm as it looks.<\/p>\n

\"mayer-nathalie\"<\/p>\n

Nathalie Mayer<\/p>\n

Journalist<\/p>\n

Born in Lorraine on a freezing winter night, storytelling has always inspired me, first through my grandmother’s tales and later Stephen King’s imagination. A physicist turned science communicator, I’ve collaborated with institutions like CEA, Total, Engie, and Futura. Today, I focus on unraveling Earth’s complex environmental and energy challenges, blending science with storytelling to illuminate solutions.<\/p>\n

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