Credit & Copyright: D. Banfield,
P. D. Nicholson, &
B. J. Conrath
(Cornell),
Palomar Obs.,
JPL,
NASA
Explanation:
How's the weather on Neptune?
Tracking major
weather patterns on the
Solar System's outermost gas giant can help in the
understanding of global weather patterns here on
Earth.
Each summer for the past five years,
Neptune has been imaged and major weather patterns studied.
The latest picture, taken on September 15, is
shown above in false
color.
Visible in pink near
Neptune's lower right is a
new storm dubbed Anabelle that is several times larger than her
terrestrial sister Isabelle, a concurrent
storm system that occurred here on Earth.
Although Isabelle lasted a few weeks, no one knows
how long Anabelle will endure.
On the upper right is
Neptune's largest moon
Triton, an
unusual moon that sports
volcanoes that spew ice.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day