What is the name of Jupiter's persistent anticyclonic storm?

Jupiter’s persistent anticyclonic storm is the Great Red Spot. It is a huge, oval-shaped high-pressure system in Jupiter’s southern hemisphere, rotating counterclockwise around 22 degrees south of the equator. An anticyclone spins opposite to the direction of a cyclone, and on Jupiter the storm’s winds can reach hundreds of kilometres per hour.

The Great Red Spot is larger than Earth, although it has been shrinking for decades. Its reddish-orange colour remains unexplained; scientists have proposed chemical reactions involving compounds exposed to ultraviolet light, but no single explanation is confirmed. The storm’s swirling clouds rise above surrounding cloud layers, making it visible through appropriately sized amateur telescopes.

Astronomers recorded a similar-looking spot in the 17th century, including observations by Giovanni Domenico Cassini, but it is uncertain whether that feature was the modern Great Red Spot. Continuous observations of the present storm began in the 19th century. Jupiter’s other spots and belts can change or disappear, which is why the Great Red Spot’s exceptional longevity makes it especially notable.