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Showing posts with the label binoculars

A Shock in Space

Something is happening - out there! Yes, something mysterious has occurred in space. Astronomers are aghast at the total disappearance of a broad ring around Jupiter. This is a shock and totally unexpected. Things in space are supposed to be quite stable. The ring was not on a picture taken on May 8. The band was very large, twice as broad as the diameter of Earth. A view with binoculars clearly shows that the "bottom" half of the planet is now all white. The twin banded planet is now "held together" by a single band - quite disconcerting. Have no fear. The disappearance could be only temporary. Jupiter's second belt could be covered by cloud higher in the planet's atmosphere. Ammonia can cause ice crystals to form which develops into cirrus clouds. Wind patterns have probably changed on the planet. This has led to a climate change. Just why the bands are brown is a mystery anyway. Only a few probes have been sent to Jupiter so knowledge about it is limited.