Cebuano astronomer discovers new red spot on planet Jupiter

A Cebuano amateur astronomer and an astrophotographer gained recognition from local and international astronomy, including the National Aeronautics Space Administration, for his recent discovery of a new red spot on planet Jupiter.

Christopher Go, a member of the Astronomical League of the Philippines living in Mandaue City, found the spot on the planet using an 11-inch telescope and a CCD camera, last February 28th at 3:37 Philippine Standard Time (February 27th in 19:37 Universal Time).

Go's discovery, as captured in his photographs, was featured in various astronomy websites, such as Spaceweather.com (on March 6), NASA, Sky and Telescope (March 6 news), and Space.com, among others.

In a NASA press release issued March 6, Go's discovery and the photographs he took were featured and acknowledged as among the latest important developments in astronomy.

NASA has officially called the new red spot as "Oval BA", or the Red Spot Jr,, similarly a storm over the planet's cloud, which is seen about half the size of the famous Great Red Spot and almost the same in color.

Oval BA first appeared in the year 2000 when three smaller spots collided and merged. Similar merger centuries ago may have created the original GRS, a storm twice as wide as our planet and at least 300 years old, according to NASA news.

"At first oval BA remained white- the same color as the storms that combined to create it. But in recent months, things began to change, the oval was white in November 2005, it slowly turned brown in December 2005and a red a few weeks ago. Now it's the same color as the GRS," Go said.

"Wow!" says Dr. Glenn Orton, an astronomer at JPL who specializes in studies of storms on Jupiter and other giant planets. "This is convincing. We've been monitoring Jupiter for years to see if Oval BA would turn red-and it finally seems to be happening," he said although he preferred calling it as "the not-so-Great Red Spot."

Curiously, no one knows precisely why the GRS itself is red. But Go's discovery has shifted attention of astronomers who acknowledged the GRS before as the most powerful storm on Jupiter rising eight kilometers above the planetary clouds, and the most interesting view from Jupiter.

Now, knowledge of the planet has expanded and so is Go's discovery that has put the Philippines on the map of astronomical community today.

Go has been an amateur astronomer since 1986 and an astrophotographer since 1990. He started his career as an astronomer during the last apparition of Halleys comet and in 1998 where he also got married to his wife Vicky.

Go organized the University of San Carlos Astronomical Society and also went to Davao City to view his first total solar eclipse on March 18 this year.

Go was also able to take photographs of the partial solar eclipse in Cebu City on June 11, 2002, including the Mercury and Venus Transit. He also took pictures of the sun's spots, the moon and Saturn's Red corner. - Jasmin R. Uy