"NASA's Hubble captures Jupiter’s Great Red Spot 'jiggling like jelly'; what does this mean?

The GRS, a storm large enough to engulf Earth, has been raging on Jupiter for over 150 years. (Image: NASA)

NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has made an intriguing discovery, revealing that Jupiter’s iconic Great Red Spot (GRS) is shaking like jelly. The massive anticyclone, which has fascinated astronomers for decades, has been observed oscillating in size, a movement that has never been seen before.

The GRS, a storm large enough to engulf Earth, has been raging on Jupiter for over 150 years. The new findings, captured through Hubble's high-resolution imaging, have left scientists puzzled as they observed the GRS expanding and contracting while simultaneously speeding up and slowing down.

Hubble's observation of Jupiter's Great Red Spot. (Image: NASA)

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Unpredictable Behaviour Surprises Scientists

Astronomer Amy Simon, from NASA's Goddard Space Flight Centre, led the team that made this remarkable observation. "We always knew its longitude varied slightly, but this size oscillation is unexpected," she said. "With Hubble, we now have the data to show the GRS is squeezing in and out while changing speed." Simon's team also noticed that the storm’s core brightened during its largest oscillation, hinting at less haze in the upper atmosphere.

GRS Movement Likened to a Sandwich

Co-investigator Mike Wong from the University of California at Berkeley explained that the oscillating GRS is pushing against the jet streams that surround it. He compared the movement to "a sandwich bulging out when overfilled," as the storm's force impacts the winds.

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Scientists have been observing the GRS shrink over the past decade and predict that it will stabilise in size once it contracts enough to fit within Jupiter’s wind bands. "Right now, it's too big for its latitude band. Once it fits, the winds will hold it in place," Simon added.

This discovery adds a new chapter to the ongoing study of one of the solar system’s most enduring weather phenomena. Scientists will continue to monitor the GRS, hoping to uncover the mysteries of its unpredictable movements.