James Webb continues to observe distant galaxies, while also providing the opportunity to observe nearby planets within our Solar System. Last year, James Webb captured a stunning image of Jupiter in the infrared spectrum. Scientists working on this data have uncovered some new features of the planet, including a massive jet stream.
The James Webb Space Telescope discovered a jet stream traveling at a speed of 320 miles per hour around Jupiter’s equator!
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope provided spectacular images of Jupiter’s legendary features using its NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera). These images reveal magnificent details of the planet in the infrared spectrum. Among the details, researchers recently discovered a narrow jet stream traveling at a speed of 320 miles per hour around Jupiter’s equator, above the main cloud layers, and situated in the higher altitudes of the planet’s atmosphere. This jet stream is 3,000 miles wide.
Jupiter’s atmosphere is a turbulent region with epic storms like the famous Great Red Spot spanning 200 miles in width. Researchers identified a high-speed jet stream above the main cloud layer, located in the higher altitudes of the atmosphere, and situated above the planet’s equator. The data observed with Webb’s NIRCam device revealed this jet stream.
Ricardo Hueso, the lead researcher from the University of the Basque Country in Spain, said, “This is something that totally surprised us. These were features that we used to see as just some blurry features in Jupiter’s atmosphere all the time. Now they are turning into well-defined features that we can follow in the planet’s fast rotation.”
Webb’s near-infrared instruments are ideal for examining the upper layers of Jupiter’s atmosphere, converting blurry features into clearer details. Researchers calculated the speed of the jet stream by tracking the motion of small clouds, revealing that the jet stream travels at a speed of 320 miles per hour, roughly twice as fast as a powerful hurricane.
Researchers will continue to observe the jet stream’s speed over the next few years. This will allow scientists to investigate the connection between the wind and temperature patterns in the stratosphere above Jupiter’s equator.
