36
votes
Is Jupiter's Red Spot "locked in place" or does it move around?
It does drift relative to other parts of the atmosphere. The lack of a surface makes defining the actual rotation period of Jupiter rather difficult. The currently accepted value of 9h:55m:29.7s is ...
- 116k
24
votes
Are there lightning bolts on Mars?
Lightning may have been detected on Mars, although it currently appears to be rare, and attempts to replicate the 2006 results have failed so far.
New research found that the low pressure on Mars ...
- 621
20
votes
Is Jupiter's Red Spot "locked in place" or does it move around?
Yes, as with all other storms, the Great Red Spot is dynamic, so it constantly changes its size and shape and it shifts and drifts and is not just "locked in a definite position". According ...
- 4,392
14
votes
What are the "weather" (and other) implications of long "days" and short "years" on Mercury?
Mercury has no atmosphere, so it experiences direct radiative heating and cooling.
The path of the sun in the sky is a slow motion lasting many Earth days and is due as much to the orbit of Mercury (...
- 116k
13
votes
Are there lightning bolts on Mars?
Lightning Detected on Mars, 2006
With those dust storms, it's difficult to believe that you would not get sufficient charge separation. At only a few hectopascal pressure, thunder might be hard to ...
- 4,470
12
votes
Accepted
Why is there no hurricane on the Sun?
We see sunspots, which are giant, planet-sized storms on the surface of the Sun. There are however many differences between sunspots, the Great Red Spot on Jupiter, and tropical cyclones (e.g., ...
- 33.5k
10
votes
Why is there no hurricane on the Sun?
In addition to the answer above, spiraling storms like hurricanes or the great red spot, are quite orderly and require the right conditions and energy transfer. The great red spot keeps relatively ...
- 23.9k
9
votes
Accepted
What if a global killer hit Mars?
Imagine a similar asteroid as Chicxulub, the one that likely killed the dinosaurs here on earth. It is thought to have impacted at about 20 km/s.
Initial atmospheric effects: When the asteroid entered ...
- 16.2k
8
votes
Accepted
Would drinking melted ice water from Mars taste like sparkling water?
Any ice that forms from water will be free of salt -- the process of crystallization does an excellent job of removing impurities.
But that's only when freezing out of liquid water, which is not a ...
- 7,580
7
votes
Why are only the poles of Mars frozen, despite too cold temperatures on lower latitudes?
Just like a cold winters night on Earth does not guarantee snow, so does a cold Mars not guarantee ice everywhere.
In order for ice or snow to form, the moisture that is later solidifying has to be ...
- 9,757
7
votes
Accepted
Are there lightning bolts on Mars?
While not seen yet, dustdevils on mars could also contain lightning as they generate electric fields close to the breakdown of air on mars.
"On Earth, with instruments we've measured electric ...
- 186
6
votes
Impact of Atmospheric Water vapour on Optical Observations
There is actualy very little water vapour absorption in the optical part of the spectrum (350 - 750 nm). If "optical" is extended (as it often is) to include that part of the spectrum where ...
- 146k
6
votes
Accepted
Is the solar system barycenter affecting the Earth weather?
Why don't we see a change in temperature when the barycenter changes?
The motion of the Sun relative to the Solar System barycentre (SSB) doesn't have much of an effect on the Earth's orbit. As the ...
- 13.2k
5
votes
What if a global killer hit Mars?
A partial answer to this part:
Would any volcanoes erupt?
At a local scale (i.e., close to the impact), such an asteroid could melt the rock, see impactite. But this is not volcanism stricto sensu, ...
- 1,732
5
votes
Impact of Atmospheric Water vapour on Optical Observations
Yes, water vapour interferes even stronger with astronomical observations than $\rm CO_2$.
In the optical, water easily forms droplets which scatter light. But also in the gaseous phase water has ...
- 9,757
4
votes
Terrestrial Exoplanet Skies – I've Built a Visual Sky Chart. Is it Accurate?
I think the star,its halo and cloud can't be darker than the sky color even early M type still look blindingly bright orange-red on the sky not dim orange-red.
The sky color, if heavier i think it ...
4
votes
Accepted
What does "Active Weather Patterns" mean?
It means that Titan has weather (driven by methane rather than water) and that it's weather changes with the seasons. Cassini has been observing Titan for almost half of a Titan year, which is 29.457 ...
- 33.5k
4
votes
What mechanisms limit the top speed of high altitude winds on Venus?
I found some recent papers which, if nothing else, discuss apparent mechanisms.
Quoting from Schubert, 2016,
The large-scale circulation of the upper atmosphere from ~90 to ~200
km altitude (...
- 3,763
4
votes
Accepted
Why is the opening in the Anglo-Australian Telescope's dome so small?
This is a two part windscreen designed to minimize the effects of windshake on the telescope and to avoid the deterioration in image quality that wind would cause. The AAT is in a tall 6 story dome on ...
- 8,312
4
votes
Terrestrial Exoplanet Skies – I've Built a Visual Sky Chart. Is it Accurate?
Your plots are incorrect in the segments of high pressure as well as of low star temperature. At high pressure the important factor becomes light extinction, which makes the sky yellowish unless there'...
- 897
4
votes
Accepted
What causes the strong winds on Uranus?
As said, winds on Uranus are quite strong blowing upto 560 miles/hr (900 kmph). But, the question is what forces drives these winds?
Researchers has been digging for quite a while. They investigated ...
- 4,392
4
votes
Accepted
How long do thunderstorms on Venus last?
Independent observation led to the conclusion that lightning is prevalent on Venus. Electromagnetic signals detected by the 4 Venera landers explained the main cause of lightning on Venus. Venera 9 ...
- 4,392
3
votes
Is there any scientific correlation between cold nights and star-lit skies?
Yes. Clear skies allow the Earth to cool more effectively at night. If there are clouds, these re-radiate some portion of the infrared flux from the Earth back towards the ground, keeping it warmer.
- 146k
3
votes
Best locations for large telescopes at high northern latitudes
You can (probably) do much better than Mount Washington, both in terms of latitude and air quality. For one, you're right about the weather. According to Wikipedia, it is a convergence point for ...
- 496
3
votes
Accepted
Is axial tilt critical for life?
I agree with David Hammen. Hyperphysics is mostly a very good site but they dropped the ball on that page IMHO. Hope you don't mind a partially speculative answer, but here goes:
Why does it ...
- 23.9k
2
votes
What are reliable resources for weather and all other atmospheric obstructions?
You might try https://clearoutside.com/forecast/50.7/-3.52 It gives weather and visibility among other things.
They have an app for iPhone and android. Advertises site was developed by astronomers.
- 4,476
2
votes
Is axial tilt critical for life?
This is a case where the Southern US phrase might could is appropriate. Intelligent life1 might could arise only on terrestrial planets with just the right axial tilt. Then again, intelligent life ...
- 33.5k
2
votes
Accepted
What are the characteristics of solid carbon dioxide on the Martian poles?
On Earth we know of frozen carbon dioxide as "dry ice." If shaved, it could exist as "dry ice snow." On Mars the dry ice snow could precipitate, then become compressed into dry ice. It would probably ...
- 670
2
votes
Accepted
How thick or deep does solid carbon dioxide accumulate on Mars?
1-2 m in the north and 8m in the south. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars#Physical_characteristics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martian_polar_ice_caps#North_polar_cap
It is the northern cap that ...
- 146k
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