Thunderstorms wider than Earth are raging across Jupiter could change its appearance

Two huge thunderstorms that are both wider than Earth have been spotted across Jupiter and some experts believe they could end up changing the planet’s appearance.

Photos show the pair of white thunderstorms raging across one of the planet’s reddish-brown belts.

Also known as bands, the dark stripes across the planet are caused by differences in the temperature and composition of gases in Jupiter’s atmosphere, as well as the movement of winds.

Not one but two storms have brewed in one of the belts. They’re likely expelling green lightning bolts through the atmosphere, which could end up changing the colour of the belt, experts have warned.

Astrophotographer Michael Karrer captured the images on 30 November, 2024, using an 8-inch Celestron telescope close to his home in Austria.

The two white thunderstorms are wider than EarthMichael Karrer

The pictures of the gas giant show white patches in the Southern Equatorial Belt (SEB). The southern hemisphere is also where Jupiter's iconic red spot is located. John Rogers, an astronomer at the British Astronomical Association, told Spaceweather.com: “These [white patches] are giant thunderstorms. The last time we saw storms like this [on Jupiter] was eight years ago in 2016-17.”

It’s believed the storms extend around 60 miles (100 kilometre) below Jupiter’s surface. Due to the planet being mostly swirling gases and liquids, it doesn’t have a true surface like Earth. The exact widths of the storms has not been calculated yet but they both “are wide enough to swallow Earth with room to spare,” the publication reports.

However the storms are not large enough to stay intact over long periods of time. When they get pulled apart, the white hues of the storms mix in with the reddish-brown hues of Jupiter’s Southern Equatorial Belt which causes it to fade in colour. This belt has disappeared in the past due to intense storm activity, with the most recent occasion happening in 2010.

It’s too soon to say whether the two storms recently pictured will have a similar effect.

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