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National Aeronautics and Space Administration
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Supplemental Educational Support Materials
for Special Feature: “Jupiter’s Trademark Red Spot Is Shrinking”
Discussion questions
Q1:
What is Jupiter’s Great Red Spot?
Answer:
Jupiter’s red spot is the most noticeable feature on the planet. It is a giant,
spinning storm that has been raging for at least a hundred years — perhaps
since telescopes were first used to study celestial objects. Scientists have
marveled at the storm’s ability to survive, but they believe the spot is now
shrinking. The storm has winds that reach up to 400 miles an hour (640
kilometers an hour). The red spot shares some characteristics with Earth’s
hurricanes. Scientists do not know why the spot is red. A leading theory is that
the material being pulled upward from deep inside Jupiter’s atmosphere turns
red when sunlight strikes it.
Q2:
What are the similarities and differences between hurricanes on Earth and
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot?
Answer:
Hurricanes and the Great Red Spot are similar because they both have
circular motions and strong winds. Some differences are:
• The red spot is a high-pressure system, where air rises. Hurricanes, on the
other hand, are low-pressure systems, where air sinks.
• “Cyclone” is another name for hurricane. The red spot’s winds are said
to be “anti-cyclonic” because the storm’s rotation is counterclockwise in
the southern hemisphere of Jupiter. A cyclone rotates clockwise in Earth’s
Southern Hemisphere.
Continued …
Educational Product
Educators & Students Grades 5–8
• Another unique feature of the Great Red Spot is that it never travels over
a solid surface. Hurricanes, however, lose their energy and weaken when
they reach land.
Q3:
Why do you think the Great Red Spot is shrinking?
Answer:
Students’ answers will vary. Astronomers have been tracking Jupiter’s Great
Red Spot since the late 1800s. At that time, the storm was so large that three
Earths could squeeze inside it. Today, just one Earth can fit inside the storm.
The red spot’s shape also has changed, becoming more circular. In the past,
the storm had an oval shape. Astronomers believe that some unknown activity
deep inside the planet’s atmosphere may be responsible for the storm’s
change in size. Students may suggest that perhaps the planet is undergoing a
climate change, just as Earth appears to be.
Vocabulary words
Astronomer
A scientist who studies the universe and the celestial bodies residing in it, including
their location, motion, composition, and history. Many of the scientists at the Space
Telescope Science Institute are astronomers. Astronomers from all over the world
use the Hubble Space Telescope.
Atmosphere
The layer of gases surrounding the surface of a planet, moon, or star.
Hubble Space Telescope
An orbiting telescope that collects light from celestial objects in visible, nearultraviolet, and near-infrared wavelengths. The telescope’s primary mirror is 2.4
meters (8 feet) wide. It orbits the Earth about every 96 minutes and is powered by
sunlight collected with its two solar arrays.
Observation
The act of noticing or perceiving something. In science, an observation is a fact
or occurrence that is noted and recorded. The Hubble Space Telescope is a tool
astronomers use to make observations of celestial objects.
Continued …
Education Standards
Common Core Standards for English Language Arts
http://www.corestandards.org/ELA-Literacy/CCRA/R/
College and Career Readiness Anchor Standard for Reading
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.CCRA.R.10
Read and comprehend complex literary and
informational texts independently and proficiently.