Question: How did the red spot on the planet Jupiter originate?

Andrew Winnard answered on 13 Dec 2015:

Good question! I was not sure what the answer was, but have been looking into it and this is what I found out for you!

The Great Red Spot is a persistent storm which has lasted for at least 185 years and possibly as long as 350 years or more. I dont think we are totally sure exactly how or why it came to be. However, storms such as this are not uncommon within the turbulent atmospheres of gas giants. Jupiter also has white ovals and brown ovals, which are lesser unnamed storms. White ovals tend to consist of relatively cool clouds within the upper atmosphere. Brown ovals are warmer and located within the “normal cloud layer”. Such storms can last hours or centuries.

As the hot gases that comprise Jupiter’s atmosphere rise from lower levels to higher levels, eddies form and converge. As cooler gas falls back, the Coriolis force causes swirling motion across a region that may be many kilometers in diameter. These eddies can last for a long time, because there is no solid surface to provide friction and because colder cloud tops above the eddy allow little energy to escape by radiation. Once formed, such eddies are free to move, merging with or affecting the behavior of other storm systems in the atmosphere. It is theorized that this mechanism formed the Great Red Spot. According to this theory, many adjacent eddies are engulfed and merge with the spot, adding to the energy of the storm and contributing to its long life. But this is all still a thoery!

Here is a video for you all about it:

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