Experts Puzzled By Bright Spot On Venus 107
Hugh Pickens writes "BBC reports that astronomers are puzzled by a strange bright spot which has appeared in the clouds of Venus, first identified by US amateur astronomer Frank Melillo on 19 July and later confirmed by the European Space Agency's Venus Express spacecraft. 'I have seen bright spots before but this one is an exceptionally bright and quite intense area,' says Melillo. The bright spot has started to expand since its first appearance, being spread by winds in Venus' thick atmosphere. Scientists are unsure as to what is causing the spot. 'An eruption would have to be quite energetic to get a cloud this high,' said Dr. Sanjay Limaye of the University of Wisconsin. Furthermore, at a latitude of 50 degrees south, the spot lies outside the region of known volcanoes on Venus. Another potential source for the bright spot are charged particles from the Sun interacting with Venus' atmosphere. It's also possible that atmospheric turbulence may have caused bright material to become concentrated in one area. 'Right now, I think it's anybody's guess,' adds Limaye."
not a one time event (Score:5, Informative)
It's not the first bright spot observed on Venus. There was one back in January 2007 where there both hemispheres brightened at the same time.
Random Venusian Fact (Score:5, Informative)
Random Fact: The proper adjective form to refer to the 2nd solar planet is not Venusian but Venereal. However, the latter term doesn't get quite the desired reception from the general public.
(I learned this from a Tony Randall appearance on the tonight show in the early 1980s. I just wish my brain could retain practical facts the way it retains trivia like this.)
Re:Random Venusian Fact (Score:5, Informative)
Not according to these:
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/venereal [reference.com]
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/venereal [merriam-webster.com]
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/venereal [askoxford.com]
If it is, it must be a very obscure reference. I doubt you'd be able to use it and convey the meaning you claimed.
Re:Random Venusian Fact (Score:3, Informative)
Random Fact: The proper adjective form to refer to the 2nd solar planet is not Venusian but Venereal.
Nope. It's "cytherean". Of course, you could believe Tony Randall over someone who has worked on PVO (Pioneer Venus Orbiter) data. I admit that it's probably more fun that way.