A Wave of Incredible Heat Ripped Through Jupiter

A ‘heat wave’ in Jupiter’s atmosphere reached temperatures of 1,300 degrees Fahrenheit, reaching 80,000 miles. Jupiter’s upper atmosphere should be a frosty -99 degrees Fahrenheit. But according to observations, its upper atmosphere is roughly the same temperature as Earth’s. This discrepancy, nicknamed the ‘giant planet energy crisis,’ has been puzzling astronomers since the 1970s. Jupiter may not be the only planet experiencing these scorching waves of heat, as Saturn, Uranus and Neptune are also measured to be hundreds of Kelvin warmer than expected based on the amount of sunlight they receive. The Sun could have far-reaching effects on the evolution of the planets in our solar system as well — a tantalizing glimpse into what drives the turbulent nature of our largest . . .