Most of the iconic pictures we have seen of Jupiter we have seen that have been taken by NASA. These pictures show us that the color of Jupiter alternates between varying shades of orange, brown, red, white, and yellow. So what color is Jupiter?
The reason for the banding is that Jupiter does not actually have a surface. The planet is instead composed of different gases.
The planet has an atmosphere that is active. Within the atmosphere storms and the effects of wind can be observed. This activity is what gives the planet its signature coloration.
There are chemical elements in the atmosphere of Jupiter. These chemicals interact with each other. Light from the sun also affects the chemical composition. Chemical variations within Jupiter’s atmosphere are what affects the color of the planet the most.
The varying colors in the atmosphere of Jupiter are caused by different chemicals in the upper atmosphere.
Different chemicals have a different color signature when reflected by the sunlight. There color differences can be very subtle. In Jupiter’s case if you look at the planet visually with no filters the planet will look white.
As an aside because different chemicals reflect light differently the feature can be used to determine the chemical composition of planets. For instance, we can determine if the ice on a planet, like Mars, is water ice or carbon dioxide ice. This is a very important tool for Astronomy.
The main gases that are in the atmosphere of Jupiter is mainly hydrogen (90%) and helium. Within the clouds of Jupiter are ammonium hydrosulfide, ice, water, ammonia crystals and methane.
The storms on Jupiter are so powerful that they move chemicals from deep in the planet’s atmosphere into the upper clouds. Some of the chemicals that do this are phosphorus, sulfur, as well as hydrocarbons.
These are the chemicals that compose the white, red, and brown areas that we can see in the atmosphere of Jupiter. The whiter spots specifically are composed of the aforementioned ammonium crystals.
These white spots are cool storms, while the brown are warm storms, and the red are hot ones.
Jupiter’s atmosphere has been studied extensively by astronomers. They use color variations to determine the chemical composition and dynamic activities of the atmoshpere.
To help get an even better knowledge of the atmosphere of Jupiter, there have even been missions scheduled to learn more about it. These missions are mainly intended to study the interactions between water and volcanoes on Europa and Io.
The atmosphere of Jupiter has been determined by using the colors that are shown by the planet.
There was a picture released by NASA known as the giant Jupiter ball (shown below). This has sparked a debate surrounding whether the planet is actually blue or not.
Surprisingly, even though it appeared so in the photo, the color is not actually blue. It has been rebutted by many astronomers.
The explanation for this is that the three sepatate images which created the one released by NASA had been clicked using different filters.
So, even while the image released makes Jupiter look like it appears to be blue, this is not actually the case. The true colors of Jupiter are still red, white, and brown.
Astronomers use monochromatic cameras. This is so that different filters can be utilized. By using different filters, different features can be highlighted and studied. For example, one filter may show the location of hydrogen, while another will show the location of sulfur.
However, you can not create a color image with just one image through one filter. You must use at least two and even then you much create a third image from the two images. Ideally three images are produced through three filters.
The three filters can be red, blue and green which will produce a true color image. However, astronomers gain important information by using different filters called narrowband filters as they only allow a small part of the spectrum to pass. To produce a color image, the three images are attributed such that a color image is produced. While this can be arbitrary, there are conventions to follow. If you want to learn more about this subject see Narrowband Imaging.
It was this process that generated the blue false-color image being discussed.
The Stripes On Jupiter
The stripes of different colors that can be observed on Jupiter are actually known as bands. These are weather bands that are nearly always parallel to the equator of the planet, and these are what give Jupiter its distinctive color.
The color of these bands changes frequently. The reason for this is that they are continually moving and changing. The bands are usually split into two different categories being belts and zones.
The lighter bands on the surface of Jupiter are known as zones. The characteristic feature of these is the gas moving upwards in the planet’s atmosphere. Then the darker stripes are known as belts, and inverse to zones, the gas in these moves down.
The reason why the color of these stripes change is not just because of the movement but because of the chemicals they are composed of and their temperature.
Bands that neighbor each other have been seen to have winds that tend to move in opposite directions.
Jupiter’s Red Spot
When looking at Jupiter, one thing that is difficult to miss is the great red spot. This is an example of a massive storm on Jupiter. It was observed for the first time more than 400 years ago, and the storm is still active today.
Giovanni Cassini saw it in the 1600s and has been observed closely by NASA since 1974. It was observed using the Pioneer 10 Spacecraft. However, it is so large that you can see it from Earth using almost any telescope.
And even though it has been witnessed for so long, we do not know when it started.
Storms On Jupiter
There is another storm on Jupiter that has caught the attention of astronomers a lot more recently, and it has a color that is similar to the aforementioned Great Red Spot.
The diameter is about half of the Great Red Spot, and because of this it is called Red Junior. It appeared in 2000 as 3 smaller spots, and these merged to make the larger spot we know today.
Summary
Hopefully, this guide has given you all the information needed to understand the appearance of Jupiter and why it is colored in such a specific way.
Hi, my name is Jason Anderson, and I am a Physics Professor. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been fascinated with space, the universe, the moon, you name it. I spent hours and hours at the planetarium close to my hometown, wondering what else could be out in the universe.
Since then, I’ve been an avid stargazer and astronomer, and love nothing more than spending my time charting stars, observing planets, and finding constellations.
This is why I decided to start Telescope Guru. I only wish to share this fun pastime with the world. With this site, I hope to answer all of your questions relating to astronomy, telescopes, and stargazing.
