Huge storm on Saturn observed by ESO's Very Large Telescope

Thermal infrared images of Saturn from the VISIR instrument on ESO’s VLT (centre and right) and an amateur visible-light image (left) from Trevor Barry (Broken Hill, Australia) obtained on 19 January 2011 during the mature phase of the northern storm. The second image is taken at a wavelength that reveals the structures in Saturn’s lower atmosphere, showing the churning storm clouds and the central cooler vortex. The third image is sensitive to much higher altitudes in Saturn’s normally peaceful stratosphere, where we see the unexpected beacons of infrared emission flanking the central cool region over the storm.

Credit:

ESO/University of Oxford/L. N. Fletcher/T. Barry

About the Image

Id:eso1116a
Type:Observation
Release date:19 May 2011, 20:00
Related releases:eso1116
Size:1198 x 774 px

About the Object

Name:Saturn
Type:Solar System : Planet : Type : Gas Giant
Solar System : Planet : Feature : Atmosphere : Storm
Category:Solar System

Image Formats

Large JPEG
92.7 KB
Screensize JPEG
64.6 KB

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Infrared
Mid-IR
8.6 μmVery Large Telescope
VISIR
Infrared
Mid-IR
18 μmVery Large Telescope
VISIR