This
computer generated map of Jupiter was made from 10 color images of Jupiter
taken Feb. 1, 1979, by Voyager 1, during a single, 10 hour rotation of the
planet. Computers at Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Image Processing Lab then
turned the photos into this cylindrical projection. Such a projection is
invaluable as an instantaneous view of the entire planet.
Along the northern edge of the north equatorial belt (NEB) are four dark
brown, oblong regions believed by some scientists to be openings in the
more colorful upper cloud decks, allowing the darker clouds beneath to be
seen. The broad equatorial zone (EZ) is dominated by a series of plumes,
possibly regions of intense convective activity, encircling the entire planet. |
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In
the southern hemisphere the Great Red Spot is located at about 75 degrees
longitude. South of the Great Red Spot in the south temperate zone (STeZ)
three large white ovals, seen from Earth-based observatories for the past
few decades, are located at 5 degrees, 85 degrees and 170 degrees longitude.
Resolution in this map is 600 km. Since Jupiter's atmospheric features drift
around the planet, longitude is based on the orientation of the planet's
magnetic field. |
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