'NASA shocked': Jupiter’s clouds aren’t what we thought, discovery rewrites theories
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Credit: NASA
Hidden Depths
Jupiter’s iconic clouds, long thought to be ammonia ice, are now revealed to lie deeper, reshaping our understanding of the gas giant’s atmosphere.
Credit: NASA
Amateur Breakthrough
Dr. Steven Hill, using commercial telescopes, uncovered surprising data about ammonia levels and cloud depths, sparking a major discovery.
Scientific Collaboration
Professor Patrick Irwin of Oxford University confirmed the findings with advanced modeling and spectroscopy, proving the clouds are not pure ammonia ice.
Occasional Clouds
Ammonia ice clouds form in specific updraft conditions, creating fleeting white patches that add a dynamic layer to Jupiter’s atmospheric puzzle.
Color Chemistry
Reddish-brown hues in Jupiter’s bands result from photochemical reactions between ammonia and sunlight, crafting its iconic swirling patterns.
Citizen Science
This discovery highlights the role of amateurs like Dr. Hill, showing how modest tools can lead to significant contributions to professional astronomy.
Saturn Parallels
Similar methods reveal Saturn’s clouds also lie deeper than previously thought, suggesting comparable atmospheric processes between the two gas giants.
Credit: NASA
Future Observations
Tools like NASA’s Juno and the James Webb Space Telescope promise further exploration of gas giants’ atmospheric mysteries.
Global Impact
This breakthrough underscores the potential of collaboration between amateurs and professionals in uncovering the secrets of the cosmos.