![]() Then better spectra revealed the presence of molecules of methane (CH 4) and ammonia (NH 3) in the atmospheres of Jupiter and Saturn.Īt first astronomers thought that methane and ammonia might be the main constituents of these atmospheres, but now we know that hydrogen and helium are actually the dominant gases. As late as the 1930s, the most prominent features photographed in these spectra remained unidentified. Spectroscopic observations of the jovian planets began in the nineteenth century, but for a long time, astronomers were not able to interpret the spectra they observed. When sunlight reflects from the atmospheres of the giant planets, the atmospheric gases leave their “fingerprints” in the spectrum of light. As we will see, storms on these planets can grow bigger than the entire planet Earth. These atmospheres also present us with some of the most dramatic examples of weather patterns in the solar system. Since these planets have no solid surfaces, their atmospheres are more representative of their general compositions than is the case with the terrestrial planets. The atmospheres of the jovian planets are the parts we can observe or measure directly. Understand the scale and longevity of storms on the giant planets.Characterize the giant planets’ wind and weather patterns.Describe the cloud formation and atmospheric structure of the gas giants.Discuss the atmospheric composition of the giant planets. ![]() By the end of this section, you will be able to:
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