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Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is a huge, long-lasting storm in the atmosphere of the Southern Hemisphere of Jupiter. It is an anti-cyclonic (high pressure) storm, much like a gargantuan hurricane. Its color is actually pink to orange.
This whirlwind varies in size and color from year to year. It is about 17,000 miles (28,000 km) long and 9,000 miles (14,000 km) wide; it is the biggest storm in this solar system. It is so big that the three Earths would fit in it with room to spare.
Jupiter’s Great Red Spot was discovered in 1664 by Robert Hooke. Part of the reason it lasts so long in comparison with Earth storms (other than the huge difference in scale and the existence of an internal heat source on Jupiter) is that this storm never goes over land; on Earth, hurricanes loses most of their energy and die when they stray over land.
The smaller white spots are also giant storms. The colors we see are the result of chemical reactions occurring in the atmosphere.