Jupiter Is Missing a Belt 187
mbone writes "Jupiter just went through Superior Conjunction (i.e., went behind the Sun as seen from the Earth), so it has been out of view for a while. Now that it has returned, it is different — the South Equatorial Belt (SEB) is missing. The SEB has about 10 times the surface area of the Earth, so this is not a small change. Here are a series of photos of Jupiter's new look. The Great Red Spot typically inhabits the southern border of the SEB, but it doesn't seem to be affected by the change. It's a pity that this happened at Superior Conjunction, and that there is no satellite in Jupiter orbit, so details of the change are largely missing. The SEB has previously gone missing in 1973 and 1990. Since no one really knows what makes the Jovian belts, no one knows why they disappear either. If the belts are really just material from deeper layers coming to the surface, it is possible that the convection has stopped for some reason, or that high-altitude clouds have covered it over."
Wow, this is pretty serious. (Score:5, Funny)
I left my belt in a hotel once so I know what this is like.
Re:Wow, this is pretty serious. (Score:5, Funny)
Wrapped around the dowel in the closet no doubt.
Do be careful with that kind of play, you don't want to end up like David Caradine
Re:Wow, this is pretty serious. (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Were your red spots unaffected as well?
I don't have any red spots, but my age spots grew in size and became more fragrant.
kid all you want (Score:2)
But this really is serious. Environmentalists have been warning about this for decades. How many belts must Jupiter lose before we all acknowledge the reality of Jovial warming?!
Re:kid all you want (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
whoosh!
Re: (Score:2)
But this really is serious. Environmentalists have been warning about this for decades. How many belts must Jupiter lose before we all acknowledge the reality of Jovial warming?!
I propose we institute a program of Jovial Dust Credits immediately. They will cost 1000 credits per tonne.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
It's the Monolith (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
I might also be a lighting effect related to the Sun's position, our position and possibly other space phenomenons (magnetic fields, etc). If one looks at both pictures on the link below, we can see that the belt is still there, it is only much less visible. Remember that those belts are gases that could be more sensible to these types of effects.
http://www.tgdaily.com/space-features/49737-one-of-jupiters-belts-disappears [tgdaily.com]
At first, I also thought about the belt being on the hidden side of the planet but Jupi
Re:It's the Monolith (Score:4, Funny)
OMG yes!
Asimov forecast this is "2010: A Space Oddity".
The monkeys are going to take over, so I'm off to buy bananas... !
Your geek card has been revoked under the Clarke-Asimov treaty of 1972.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
> So now Jupiter is being anthropomorphised? ;-)
Not at all Jupiter is a god, not a human:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jupiter_(mythology) [wikipedia.org]
In case of the gases:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animism [wikipedia.org]
Missing belt? (Score:5, Funny)
Check Uranus.
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
-1, Most Predictable Joke Ever
Re: (Score:2, Informative)
Nice use of passive-aggressive "Informative" modifier to traditional passive-aggressive "Funny".
Re:Missing belt? (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
ObFuturama:
Fry: "Hey, as long as you don't make me smell Uranus." *laughs*
Leela: "I don't get it."
Professor: "I'm sorry, Fry, but astronomers renamed Uranus in 2620 to end that stupid joke once and for all."
Fry: "Oh. What's it called now?"
Professor: "Urectum. Here, let me locate it for you."
Fry: "Hehe, no, no, I think I'll just smell around a bit over here."
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Yes, a better one (which I would have made an f/p if I'd seen this sooner) would be:
"Hey ass-tronomers: will this make it easier to see Uranus?"
Re: (Score:2)
Sure. Just look directly at the moon and you'll see it.
Re: (Score:2)
This may be true, but the fact remains he beat you to it.
Excellent. (Score:3, Funny)
If you speak from personal experience, then you sir are far more hardcore than I.
If I'm not mistaken, I think the internet gives out medals for this sort of depravity. At the very least you might get lucky and find a newsgroup of similarly minded individuals.
Personally, I'm not sure whether I should congratulate you or back away from you slowly.
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Check Uranus.
That's what she said.
Get off of my lawn! (Score:2)
You damn punk planets and your baggy pants. Where's my M1 when I need it?
jupiter global warming ? (Score:1)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Make sense if the Sun has got anything to do with Earth global warming ;-)
Climate change on Jupiter is just a myth! (Score:3, Interesting)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Let's hope they used a bit more rigor when they calculated the sun's estimated lifespan.
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Prototype (Score:1, Funny)
Maybe Jupiter will be releasing a new gen iBelt soon?
It's global warming (Score:2, Funny)
Great masses will often loosen or lose their belts altogether to combat increases in temperature. Ask Earth.
Re: (Score:2)
Kind of like at Thanksgiving then?
New Scientist has before/after pics. (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18889-jupiter-loses-a-stripe.html [newscientist.com]
anon post to not kharma ho
It's not really gone. (Score:2)
http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn18889-jupiter-loses-a-stripe.html [newscientist.com]
anon post to not kharma ho
Thanks for those pics. They make it more clear than the /. links since you can see the Red Spot in both.
It doesn't really look like the belt went anywhere. It just looks like it got a lot lighter. But there is still a distinct band there.
I guess that isn't as thrilling as saying that a belt is gone" though.
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
I hope you get modded into the ground for being a karma whore.
Shy planet? (Score:5, Funny)
Jupiter's a shy planet. He doesn't like changing his undies when being watched, so he waited until he could hide behind the Sun. That also explains why the part missing is brown. Nothing like freshly-laundered underwear for the first time in 20 years...
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Actually, the real answer is that Jupiter is just so fat that you can't see the belt.
Re:Shy planet? (Score:4, Funny)
Okay fine...Your momma's so fat that Jupiter gave her its belt!
Re:Shy planet? (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh yeah? Your momma's so fat that when she slept with Jupiter, Jupiter had to be on top so she wouldn't crush it!
Re:Shy planet? (Score:4, Insightful)
I have no idea where that's coming from either. Anybody want to explain how they think anything starting with "Your momma's so fat ..." can be "insightful"?
Re: (Score:2)
Funny doesn't give karma, so some people mod interesting or insightful when it really should be funny.
Yes, that is an abuse of the moderation system, but if you ask me so is taking it that seriously in the first place...
Re: (Score:2)
In space, no one can see you getting changed...(so long as you're behind the sun)
Fashion (Score:5, Funny)
You're supposed to update your wardrobe in the spring.
Re: (Score:2)
Gotta say though, I liked the previous look better. The belt really worked well with the red spot, while now it's just a big mess there.
Re:Fashion (Score:5, Funny)
Yeah, well... what season is it on Jupiter anyway?
Jupiter only has one season. It is called Crush-To-Death-And-Fry-With-Radiation. Happy CruToDaFrWiRad to you fellow Jovian.
Re: (Score:2)
I agree - of all the planets, Jupiter does suck the most. A couple planets further though, and it's arguably more comfortable and inviting... though not much light reaches there.
2010 (Score:5, Funny)
"My God! It's full of stars!"
At least we get to use almost all the moons....
Re: (Score:2)
(N.B. Yes, I got the reference.)
Re: (Score:2)
Just use the Delay-Tolerant Protocol and some decent error-correcting codes.
Except Europa. (Score:2, Funny)
Except Europa. Attempt no landing there.
Re:Except Europa. (Score:5, Insightful)
Except Europa. Attempt no landing there.
I just had a thought.
Maybe the monoliths' message to us wasn't saying "don't you dare land on Europa", maybe it was more Yoda-like, where they're saying "don't attempt to land on Europa, either do it or don't."
Everybodylookatthemoon. (Score:3, Funny)
He's so bright and milky white / Shining down upon the ground / He's the bright, milky white / Shining down upon the ground / Everybody look at the moon / Everybody seein' the moon / The moon is bright / He's milky white / Everybody look at the moon / Uh! ::smiles::
Heey! I did a song! Jupiter, I did a song! You ain't got one! Heey!
Re: (Score:2)
"You see, that is why you do not ask the Moon!"
"Listen, I took a chance, all right? We asked the Moon, I didn't know he was an alabaster retard, did I?"
Mystery Solved (Score:5, Funny)
Roseanne Barr wanted her belt back.
Jupiter is white... (Score:5, Funny)
Jupiter is white,
Uranus is blue,
In Soviet Russia,
Jupiter stripes you!
Re: (Score:2)
How do you know this?
Who told?
I am embarrassed...
Re: (Score:2)
In other news (Score:1)
Can we use the belt to cinch the oil leak? (Score:2)
Juno/EJSM? (Score:5, Informative)
We really need a Cassini-like mission around Jupiter. Ground-based observations are just amazing, but think of the science we could do at Jupiter!
Juno won't be launched until 2011, and it's mission is only going to be one year (although we've seen how these things can be extended). EJSM seems promising, but that's still 10 years from launch.
And there don't seem to be any plans for Uranus and Neptune. What a shame.
The belt DIDN'T disappear (Score:1, Funny)
It just slipped to a more southerly latitude just below the great Jovian beer gut.
That explains it (Score:1, Redundant)
Now I know why Jupiter's pants keep falling down.
Re: (Score:2)
Pants on the Ground (Score:3, Funny)
Jupiter finally heard Gen. Larry Platt's song, became embarrassed, and finally hiked that belt up North where it belonged.
Jupitor's Cock! (Score:1)
It's a Trap! (Score:1)
Maybe Von Neumann knows where the belt is. (Score:5, Interesting)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_Jupiter_impact_event [wikipedia.org] + Missing Belt = Scary
Jupiter doppelganger? (Score:2)
From the article: (Score:2)
The disappearance of the belt comes at a time of widespread - but mysterious - change on Jupiter, which has seen changes to the colour of other bands and spots in its atmosphere. "There has been a lot going on," Orton says.
But is there a monolith floating around Jupiter now?
We hAve (Score:3, Funny)
We haVe yoUre beLT, anD if YoU eVer wiSh tO sEe It aGaiN, yoU mUsT PlaCe onE mIlliOn DoLlaRs in uNmaRked biLls In a tO bE annOunCed uNdisCloseD loCatIon...
as if Jupiter could be 'inferior' (Score:2, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
If that happens, waking you will be the last things on their mind...plus we would all be dead.
Re: (Score:2)
This is the ???? we've been waiting for! (Score:2, Funny)
Simpsons (Score:3, Funny)
My theory... (Score:2, Funny)
I lost a... (Score:3, Funny)
Hum... (Score:2)
1990-1973 = 17 years .. but we're in 2010.
1990+17 = 2007
So, it's 3 years late? ... Is Jupiter pregnant?
Two words: Allais Effect (Score:5, Interesting)
Any chance that the Allais Effect [wikipedia.org] with Jupiter, Sun, Saturn syzygy might be at work here? I know the Allais Effect is a quirky, difficult-to-replicate condition, but perhaps this is another data point.
Three more words: (Score:2)
Allais Effect
Does not exist.
Re: (Score:2)
Interesting. In there I can see
Eight gravimeters and two pendulums were deployed across six monitoring sites in China for the solar eclipse of July 22, 2009. It is hoped that this effort will resolve the uncertainties surrounding this problem
And it was a year ago. Where are the results?
Oops! (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
It's just a glitch in the Matrix.
Are they sure it's the same planet? (Score:2)
Just sayin'.
Well according to Steven Hawkins... (Score:2)
The aliens took it as a energy resource on their way here to take our resources.
And to keep themselves hidden, thay did it in a manner that we couldn't see them coming.
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, but what would he know?
The BIG Lebowski (Score:2)
So? (Score:2)
Maybe it just gained some weight so it doesn't need the belt anymore?
Jupiter is missing a belt? (Score:2)
Perhaps Jupiter has changed to suspenders (Score:2)
"this is not a small change" should be (Score:2)
This is a large/big/major change.
Say what it is, rather than what it isn't. It's NOT many other things... it's also not a small car, a big house by the lake or a policy to affect traffic patterns.
Re: (Score:2)