Which planet in our Solar System has the Great Red Spot?

Jupiter is the planet in our Solar System with the Great Red Spot.

The Great Red Spot is a gigantic, long-lived storm in Jupiter’s atmosphere. It is an anticyclonic vortex, meaning its circulation rotates opposite to that of a low-pressure cyclone in Earth’s Northern Hemisphere. The storm lies in Jupiter’s southern hemisphere and appears as a reddish oval against the planet’s cloud bands.

Astronomers have observed a large spot in this region since at least the nineteenth century, although it is uncertain whether the storm seen today is exactly the same feature reported in earlier observations. The Great Red Spot was once much larger than it is now, and modern measurements show that its shape and color change over time.

Jupiter’s atmosphere is composed mainly of hydrogen and helium and rotates rapidly, producing powerful jet streams. The Great Red Spot is therefore not a solid surface feature or a volcanic mark. It is a storm system embedded in the planet’s upper atmosphere.