Time-lapse of Jupiter (December 2023 to March 2024)

This time-lapse movie is assembled from Hubble Space Telescope observations spanning approximately 90 days (between December 2023 and March 2024) when the giant planet Jupiter was approximately 630 million to 820 million kilometres from the Sun. Astronomers measured the Great Red Spot’s size, shape, brightness, colour, and vorticity over a full oscillation cycle. The data reveal that the Great Red Spot is not as stable as it might look. It was observed going through an oscillation in its elliptical shape, jiggling like a bowl of gelatin. The cause of the 90-day oscillation is unknown.