Abstract
OBSERVED CHANGES ON JUPITER.—Some remarkable alterations in the surface-markings of this planet have been observed recently. The bay or hollow in the south equatorial belt, which has been almost uninterruptedly visible since Schwabe figured it in September, 1831, appears to have disappeared. Mr. F. Sargent, of Bristol, using telescopes of 10½ in. aperture (reflector) and 5 in. (Cook refractor), has been unable to see any distinct traces of the feature named during his verv recent observations. It was an important marking as serving to show the position of the great red spot, which has been very faint during a long series of years. In 1901 a large dark mass made its appearance in the south tropical zone of Jupiter, and in about the same latitude as the red spot. This moved with greater speed than the latter, its rate of rotation being about 12 seconds less, and the marking had so greatly extended in longitude that in January and February of the present year it ranged over about 180°, or half the planet's circumference. This object seems also practically to have disappeared. Mr. Sargent saw the following end of it central on March 7 at 10h. 13m. in longitude 60.3°, but it was extremely faint, and regarded as near the vanishing point. Since that date observations have failed to reveal the object, though the disc has been carefully scanned at those times when it must have been presented to view had it continued visible.
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Our Astronomical Column . Nature 103, 134 (1919). https://doi.org/10.1038/103134a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/103134a0