[BAA-ebulletin 00562] Jupiter's disturbances continue to impress

[Whitters]

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BAA electronic bulletin           
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Jupiter's disturbances continue to impress


The great outbreak of storms on Jupiter - the Revival of the South Equatorial Belt (SEB) - is still proceeding impressively.  Both north and south components of the belt are now reviving all around the planet, but there is still intense activity to be seen and tracked.  The region of the Great Red Spot (at L2 = 163) is especially interesting at present.  So, members are urged to continue observing as close as possible to solar conjunction.  The planet is now favourably displayed in the evening sky as seen from north temperate latitudes.  

The events are following same pattern as in historical SEB Revivals, but are being observed far more intensively than ever before.  The source, at L2 ~ 290-300, produced 7 brilliant white plumes from Nov.9 to Jan.4, and these plumes with their surrounding dark streaks formed the 'central branch' of the Revival as they slowly prograded. The leading edge of the central branch, prograding at -0.55 deg/day, also produced brilliant white plumes and smaller spots.  The northern branch was initially just a modest darkening of the SEB(N), but since Jan.5 it has broken up into increasingly conspicuous prograding dark spots, which are interacting vigorously with the GRS as they pass it. The southern branch, consisting of many dark spots retrograding at up to +4 deg/day, is reconstituting the SEB(S). Both southern and northern branches started to darken the Red Spot Hollow around Jan.5, and the first large, very dark spot on SEB(S) arrived at the GRS about Jan.17.  Since then, dark streaks have been circulating around the rim of the GRS and major changes are continuing in that region.  

Many bulletins with compilations of images have been posted in the 'Reports 2010/11' page of the Jupiter Section's web site.  They have also been sent directly to everyone on the Section's e-mailing list, and if you would like to be added to this list for future bulletins, just ask the undersigned.

John Rogers
2011 Feb.10

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