James Webb identifies a jet on Jupiter moving twice as fast as the worst hurricane on Earth

The James Webb Space Telescope made a surprising discovery in Jupiter’s atmosphere by identifying a jet stream, meaning a high-speed air current, in the planet’s equatorial region.

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The identified jet stream extends over 4,800 kilometers in width above Jupiter’s equator, located approximately 40 kilometers above the clouds. It not only moves at a speed of about 515 kilometers per hour, which is double the winds of a Category 5 hurricane on Earth.

Thanks to the capture by James Webb, the super-fast jet stream can provide insights into Jupiter’s atmospheric layers, helping scientists better understand its interactions.

This newly discovered Jovian jet stream travels at 320 miles per hour, 2 times the winds of a Category 5 hurricane on Earth! It’s located around 25 miles (40 kilometers) in altitude, in Jupiter’s lower stratosphere. pic.twitter.com/FUr8CAZ13d

— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) October 19, 2023