Does Jupiter's redspot move north,south,east or west or is it locked at a point on the surface?

Question

Does Jupiter's redspot move north,south,east or west or is it locked at a point on the surface?

Answer 1

http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing...

Answer 2

It rotates along with the gas giant!

Answer 3

The GRS (Great Red Spot) is a cyclone over Jupiter's clouds.Like a cyclone on Earth, the GRS also moves but against the direction of rotation of the planet Jupiter.

Answer 4

I don't know...

but what I do know is that a gas giant doesn't have a stable rotating surface like a terrestrial planet like Earth does. A while back they say that either Jupiter's or Saturn's (I forgot which) rotation had slowed down into between probe measurements, but to a degree unimaginable. The current theory is is that the inner layers move at different speeds than the outer so at some points the rotational energy of the outer layers gets transferred to the inner layers creating a perceived slow down in rotational despite the total rotational energy the same.

I have also seen video of the red spot and would appear different parts of the atmosphere go in different directions just like Earth's... except the atmosphere is as close to a surface as Jupiter gets.

*in response to your email*

Ya your right. It would appear that Jupiter does have a surface because of the first layer of opaque gas we see. I just thought it important to note that the "surface" we see is the same stuff that makes up the Red Spot. Plus the fact that different layers of Jupiter move at different changing speeds doesn't help our little perspective problem. Thats as good as answer as I can muster... Godspeed

Answer 5

The Great Red Spot is an atmospheric feature, not fixed above a particular point. It drifts east and west over time, but not significantly north and south.