An amateur astronomer used an old technique to study Jupiter — and found something strange
Amateur Steve Hill challenges Jupiter's cloud composition using band-depth analysis.
Amateur astronomer Steve Hill challenged long-held notions about Jupiter's cloud composition by employing an older technique known as band-depth analysis, initially used in the 70s and 80s. Using this method, he collected data to map ammonia levels in Jupiter's atmosphere, discovering that the ammonia ice was less predominant and suggesting other chemical compositions producing the planet's clouds.
Patrick Irwin from Oxford University, initially doubtful of Hill’s approach, collaborated with him after observing Hill’s results through more sophisticated instruments. The analysis revealed that the cloud layers reflecting sunlight lie deeper than the previously assumed ammonia condensation level, leading to a new understanding of the gas giant’s complex atmospheric processes.
Further exploratory research suggested similar mechanisms could be active in Saturn's atmosphere, leading to findings consistent with observations from the James Webb Space Telescope. This collaborative effort between amateur and professional astronomers has opened new pathways in understanding gas giant atmospheres and the dynamic processes within them.