Jupiter with its Big Red Spot and other very characteristic atmospheric features, like our Earth, is constantly evolving. And the latest observations in the infrared range, conducted by the James Webb Space Telescope, allowed us to obtain new information. In particular, "Webb" discovered a previously unseen feature: a high-speed current extending 4,800 km above the equator of Jupiter. It lies above the main cloud layers and provides valuable information about how the various layers of Jupiter's turbulent atmosphere interact with each other.

In the composite image below, obtained from individual NIRCam images of the Webb spacecraft, Jupiter is shown in improved colors: A large red spot looks white with light pink edges around it. On the right is a large—scale image of some regions of Jupiter's atmosphere disturbed by the presence of the current detected by JWST. Ricardo Hueso from the University of the Basque Country in Bilbao, the author of the study describing the results, explained: "What we have always seen as fuzzy haze in the atmosphere of Jupiter now appears as sharp features. We can use them to follow the rapid rotation of the planet."

"Webb" has an additional advantage. His gaze in the near and middle infrared range is sensitive to the uppermost layers of the atmosphere, about 25-50 km above the tops of clouds. Thus, he is able to make us appreciate the smallest details in the light range of the equator.

Thus, a jet stream was detected, the speed of which is about 515 km / h. This is twice as fast as the wind speed of a category five hurricane on Earth. It is located at an altitude of about 40 km above the clouds, in the lower stratosphere of Jupiter.