Huge storm on Saturn observed by ESO's Very Large Telescope

Thermal infrared images of Saturn from the VISIR instrument on ESO’s VLT (centre and right) and an amateur visible-light image (left) from Trevor Barry (Broken Hill, Australia) obtained on 19 January 2011 during the mature phase of the northern storm. The second image is taken at a wavelength that reveals the structures in Saturn’s lower atmosphere, showing the churning storm clouds and the central cooler vortex. The third image is sensitive to much higher altitudes in Saturn’s normally peaceful stratosphere, where we see the unexpected beacons of infrared emission flanking the central cool region over the storm.

Crédit:

ESO/University of Oxford/L. N. Fletcher/T. Barry

À propos de l'image

Identification:eso1116a
Type:Observation
Date de publication:19 mai 2011 20:00
Communiqués de presse en rapport:eso1116
Taille:1198 x 774 px

À propos de l'objet

Nom:Saturn
Type:Solar System : Planet : Type : Gas Giant
Solar System : Planet : Feature : Atmosphere : Storm
Catégorie:Solar System

Image Formats

Grand JPEG
92,7 Kio

Couleurs & filtres

DomaineLongueur d'ondeTélescope
Infrarouge
Mid-IR
8.6 μmVery Large Telescope
VISIR
Infrarouge
Mid-IR
18 μmVery Large Telescope
VISIR