New research reveals that Jupiter’s magnetic tornadoes generate massive Earth-sized storms, visible only in ultraviolet light.

Magnetic vortices twisting down from Jupiter's ionosphere into its deep atmosphere cause giant, ultraviolet-absorbing polar anticyclones, each the size of our Earth.

Dark ovals in Jupiter's polar haze, visible only at UV wavelengths, were first noticed 25 years ago, then ignored. A UC Berkeley study shows that these dark UV ovals are common, appearing at the south pole in 75% of Hubble Space Telescope images taken since 2015.

Jupiter’s immense size–about 1,000 Earths could fit inside of it–and its swirling and jiggly Great Red Spot typically get most of the attention. Now, the planet’s northern and southern poles have entered the discussion.

The Great Red Spot is not the only Earth-sized atmospheric disturbance seen on Jupiter. That dramatic storm remains number one for size and power in the Solar System, but ultraviolet (UV) observations from Hubble have now revealed that Earth-size ovals of haze are being stirred up over Jupiter's polar regions.