1
00:00:00,868 --> 00:00:02,501
♪
2
00:00:02,503 --> 00:00:06,071
Narrator: THE GIANT PLANETS
JUPITER, SATURN,
3
00:00:06,073 --> 00:00:09,208
URANUS, AND NEPTUNE
HAVE MEGASTORMS
4
00:00:09,210 --> 00:00:12,644
ON A SCALE THAT DEFIES BELIEF --
5
00:00:12,646 --> 00:00:15,781
HURRICANES LARGER
THAN ENTIRE WORLDS
6
00:00:15,783 --> 00:00:19,618
AND THUNDERSTORMS THAT WOULD
LAY WASTE TO THE EARTH.
7
00:00:19,620 --> 00:00:21,687
Oluseyi: WE THINK WE HAVE
STORMS ON EARTH.
8
00:00:21,689 --> 00:00:24,723
COMPARE IT TO THE STORMS
ON THE GIANT PLANETS,
9
00:00:24,725 --> 00:00:27,426
IT'S ON A WHOLE OTHER SCALE.
10
00:00:27,428 --> 00:00:31,797
Narrator: NOW, ASTRONOMERS ARE
USING THESE EPIC STORMS
11
00:00:31,799 --> 00:00:33,098
TO UNLOCK THE SECRETS
12
00:00:33,100 --> 00:00:36,635
OF HOW GIANT PLANETS
ACROSS THE GALAXY MIGHT WORK.
13
00:00:36,637 --> 00:00:38,570
Tremblay: GAS GIANTS REMAIN SOME
OF THE GREATEST MYSTERIES
14
00:00:38,572 --> 00:00:40,973
OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM,
BUT IF YOU CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND
15
00:00:40,975 --> 00:00:42,708
THE WEATHER THAT HAPPENS
WITHIN THEM,
16
00:00:42,710 --> 00:00:44,977
YOU CAN START TO UNLOCK
THEIR SECRETS.
17
00:00:44,979 --> 00:00:47,579
Narrator:
A FLEET OF ADVANCED SPACE PROBES
18
00:00:47,581 --> 00:00:50,716
IS HELPING ASTRONOMERS STUDY
THESE STORMS
19
00:00:50,718 --> 00:00:52,551
IN UNPRECEDENTED DETAIL,
20
00:00:52,553 --> 00:00:55,120
REVEALING ASTONISHING FORCES
AT WORK
21
00:00:55,122 --> 00:00:58,757
DEEP WITHIN THE MOST MYSTERIOUS
PLANETS IN THE UNIVERSE.
22
00:00:58,759 --> 00:01:00,092
Plait: WE HAVE LITERALLY
23
00:01:00,094 --> 00:01:02,161
JUST SCRATCHED THE SURFACE
OF THESE PLANETS.
24
00:01:02,163 --> 00:01:04,329
THERE'S SO MUCH TO LEARN
ABOUT THESE THINGS,
25
00:01:04,331 --> 00:01:07,699
AND WE'RE JUST BARELY
GETTING STARTED.
26
00:01:07,701 --> 00:01:10,669
Narrator: THE SECRETS OF
THE OUTER PLANETS ARE REVEALED
27
00:01:10,671 --> 00:01:16,275
AS WE PLUNGE INTO THE HEART
OF SPACE'S MEGASTORMS.
28
00:01:16,277 --> 00:01:20,345
♪
29
00:01:20,347 --> 00:01:23,348
-- Captions by VITAC --
www.vitac.com
30
00:01:23,350 --> 00:01:26,351
CAPTIONS PAID FOR BY
DISCOVERY COMMUNICATIONS
31
00:01:26,353 --> 00:01:27,786
♪
32
00:01:27,788 --> 00:01:31,857
IN COUNTLESS SOLAR SYSTEMS
THROUGHOUT THE GALAXY,
33
00:01:31,859 --> 00:01:35,661
TWO TYPES OF PLANETS EXIST --
34
00:01:35,663 --> 00:01:40,265
PLANETS MADE MOSTLY FROM ROCK,
LIKE THE EARTH,
35
00:01:40,267 --> 00:01:44,403
AND GIANT PLANETS
MADE MOSTLY FROM GAS.
36
00:01:44,405 --> 00:01:47,539
WE HAVE A PRETTY GOOD HANDLE
ON HOW ROCKY PLANETS WORK
37
00:01:47,541 --> 00:01:50,676
BECAUSE WE LIVE
ON THE SURFACE OF ONE,
38
00:01:50,678 --> 00:01:53,479
BUT THE GAS GIANT PLANETS
ARE A MYSTERY
39
00:01:53,481 --> 00:01:55,314
BECAUSE THEY HIDE THEIR SECRETS
40
00:01:55,316 --> 00:01:59,051
BELOW THICK,
IMPENETRABLE CLOUDS.
41
00:01:59,053 --> 00:02:02,921
TO DECODE THEIR INNER WORKINGS,
ASTRONOMERS MUST FIRST UNLOCK
42
00:02:02,923 --> 00:02:06,959
THE MYSTERIES OF THE GAS GIANTS
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
43
00:02:06,961 --> 00:02:10,429
TO UNDERSTAND HOW ANY PLANET
IN THE UNIVERSE MIGHT WORK,
44
00:02:10,431 --> 00:02:13,298
WE NEED TO FIRST UNDERSTAND
HOW OUR OWN SOLAR SYSTEM
45
00:02:13,300 --> 00:02:15,701
AND HOW OUR OWN GAS GIANTS WORK,
46
00:02:15,703 --> 00:02:17,736
AND SO THE ONLY WAY
THEY WE CAN BETTER UNDERSTAND
47
00:02:17,738 --> 00:02:20,105
WHAT LIES BENEATH
THESE TOPMOST LAYERS
48
00:02:20,107 --> 00:02:24,443
IS BY STUDYING THE STORMS
ON THE PLANET'S SURFACE.
49
00:02:24,445 --> 00:02:26,311
Narrator:
CAN THESE MEGACYCLONES
50
00:02:26,313 --> 00:02:28,247
SHED LIGHT
ON THE HIDDEN PROCESSES
51
00:02:28,249 --> 00:02:31,083
THAT MAKE ALL
GAS GIANT PLANETS TICK?
52
00:02:33,254 --> 00:02:34,653
ASTRONOMERS START WITH
53
00:02:34,655 --> 00:02:37,022
THE CLOSET GAS GIANTS
TO THE EARTH --
54
00:02:37,024 --> 00:02:39,958
SATURN AND JUPITER.
55
00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:42,594
THESE PLANETS ARE
HUNDREDS OF TIMES MORE MASSIVE
56
00:02:42,596 --> 00:02:44,696
THAN THE EARTH.
57
00:02:44,698 --> 00:02:47,566
HYDROGEN AND HELIUM
FILL THEIR ATMOSPHERES,
58
00:02:47,568 --> 00:02:50,802
WHICH ARE THOUSANDS
OF MILES THICK.
59
00:02:50,804 --> 00:02:52,671
WHEN YOU COMPARE
THE EARTH AND JUPITER,
60
00:02:52,673 --> 00:02:54,573
THEY ARE SO DIFFERENT.
61
00:02:54,575 --> 00:02:56,742
IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE
THEY'RE BOTH CALLED PLANETS,
62
00:02:56,744 --> 00:03:00,179
THEY'RE SO DIFFERENT,
AND OUR WEATHER IS DIFFERENT.
63
00:03:03,050 --> 00:03:06,285
Narrator: PLANETARY SCIENTIST
AMY SIMON INVESTIGATES
64
00:03:06,287 --> 00:03:08,754
THIS RADICALLY DIFFERENT
WEATHER.
65
00:03:08,756 --> 00:03:13,492
CHASING EPIC STORMS ON PLANETS
OVER 400 MILLION MILES AWAY
66
00:03:13,494 --> 00:03:15,894
IS NO SIMPLE TASK.
67
00:03:15,896 --> 00:03:18,530
THE BIGGEST DIFFICULTY IN
STUDYING THESE DISTANT OBJECTS
68
00:03:18,532 --> 00:03:21,466
IS THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T
MONITOR THEM ALL THE TIME,
69
00:03:21,468 --> 00:03:23,468
SO IF WE LOOK AT JUPITER
ONCE A YEAR,
70
00:03:23,470 --> 00:03:25,904
THAT'S EQUIVALENT TO LOOKING AT
THE EARTH WEATHER ONCE A MONTH
71
00:03:25,906 --> 00:03:27,206
AND THEN TRYING TO FIGURE OUT
WHAT'S GOING ON
72
00:03:27,208 --> 00:03:29,174
ON THE WHOLE PLANET.
73
00:03:29,176 --> 00:03:32,010
Narrator: SCIENTISTS LIKE AMY
NOW HAVE A FLEET
74
00:03:32,012 --> 00:03:34,580
OF ADVANCED SPACE PROBES
TO HELP --
75
00:03:34,582 --> 00:03:37,216
JUNO AROUND JUPITER
76
00:03:37,218 --> 00:03:39,484
AND CASSINI AROUND SATURN.
77
00:03:39,486 --> 00:03:42,554
♪
78
00:03:42,556 --> 00:03:47,492
SATURN'S WEIRD WEATHER IS
THE FIRST UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.
79
00:03:47,494 --> 00:03:50,796
AS CASSINI PASSES OVER
ITS NORTH POLE,
80
00:03:50,798 --> 00:03:54,666
THE SPACE PROBE SENDS BACK
AN ASTONISHING PICTURE
81
00:03:54,668 --> 00:03:57,135
OF THIS STRANGE STORM.
82
00:03:57,137 --> 00:03:59,838
IT'S UNLIKE ANYTHING SEEN
ON THE EARTH
83
00:03:59,840 --> 00:04:04,376
AND TRACES OUT THE SHAPE
OF A PERFECT 6-SIDED HEXAGON.
84
00:04:04,378 --> 00:04:06,878
ONE OF THE TRULY AMAZING THINGS
ABOUT BEING AN ASTRONOMER IS,
85
00:04:06,880 --> 00:04:08,614
SOMETIMES YOU SEE THINGS
OUT THERE
86
00:04:08,616 --> 00:04:10,482
THAT ARE COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED,
87
00:04:10,484 --> 00:04:13,085
AND THE HEXAGON STORM ON SATURN
WAS JUST THAT.
88
00:04:13,087 --> 00:04:16,355
YOU SEE THIS CLEAR HEXAGON
TURNING ALMOST AS A SOLID BODY
89
00:04:16,357 --> 00:04:19,024
AT THE POLE OF SATURN,
AND THE FIRST TIME WE SAW THAT,
90
00:04:19,026 --> 00:04:23,929
WE JUST LOOKED AT IT AND SAID,
"NO. THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE."
91
00:04:23,931 --> 00:04:25,297
Narrator: HOW COULD
92
00:04:25,299 --> 00:04:28,133
SUCH A PERFECTLY SYMMETRICAL
STORM FORM?
93
00:04:28,135 --> 00:04:31,069
IT'S EASY TO ASSUME
THAT IT'S A ONE-OFF,
94
00:04:31,071 --> 00:04:34,039
AN OUTRAGEOUS PLANETARY FLUKE.
95
00:04:34,041 --> 00:04:36,508
BUT THEN IN 2017,
96
00:04:36,510 --> 00:04:40,879
JUNO SENDS BACK AN IMAGE OF
JUPITER'S NORTH POLE.
97
00:04:40,881 --> 00:04:45,250
THIS IS A PLACE NO ASTRONOMER
HAS SEEN BEFORE.
98
00:04:45,252 --> 00:04:50,522
THE IMAGE REVEALS A SECOND
BIZARRE WEATHER SYSTEM --
99
00:04:50,524 --> 00:04:54,359
THIS TIME AN 8-SIDED
OCTAGON SHAPE.
100
00:04:54,361 --> 00:04:59,631
♪
101
00:04:59,633 --> 00:05:04,903
THIS IS A GEOMETRIC STORM SYSTEM
ON A TRULY BREATHTAKING SCALE.
102
00:05:04,905 --> 00:05:08,640
♪
103
00:05:08,642 --> 00:05:13,378
EIGHT MEGACYCLONES
SWIRL AROUND A CENTRAL STORM.
104
00:05:14,882 --> 00:05:20,085
WINDS RAGE WITHIN EACH STORM
AT ALMOST 200 MILES PER HOUR,
105
00:05:20,087 --> 00:05:24,589
FASTER THAN
A CATEGORY 5 HURRICANE.
106
00:05:24,591 --> 00:05:29,227
EACH VIOLENT MAELSTROM
IS ALMOST 2,500 MILES ACROSS,
107
00:05:29,229 --> 00:05:34,132
STORMS THE SIZE
OF THE CONTINENTAL USA,
108
00:05:34,134 --> 00:05:37,602
AND THEY GATHER AN INCREDIBLE
8-SIDED FLOWER
109
00:05:37,604 --> 00:05:39,338
AROUND THE POLE.
110
00:05:42,976 --> 00:05:44,976
Simon: ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING
THINGS WE'VE SEEN LATELY
111
00:05:44,978 --> 00:05:47,913
IS ACTUALLY VERY CLOSE VIEWS
OF JUPITER'S POLES.
112
00:05:47,915 --> 00:05:50,682
AT THIS POINT, WE'VE SEEN THIS
SAME PATTERN FOR ABOUT A YEAR,
113
00:05:50,684 --> 00:05:54,119
SO IT DOES SEEM TO BE STABLE,
AND JUST BEING ABLE TO SEE THIS
114
00:05:54,121 --> 00:05:58,023
ON A POLE IS SO MUCH DIFFERENT
THAN WHAT WE HAVE HERE ON EARTH.
115
00:05:58,025 --> 00:06:02,227
Narrator: HOW CAN SUCH
SYMMETRICAL STORM SYSTEMS FORM,
116
00:06:02,229 --> 00:06:06,798
THE HEXAGON ON SATURN
AND THE OCTAGON ON JUPITER?
117
00:06:06,800 --> 00:06:10,035
AND WHAT CAN THEY REVEAL
ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON BELOW?
118
00:06:12,239 --> 00:06:16,341
PHYSICIST PETER READ IS TRYING
TO FIND OUT.
119
00:06:16,343 --> 00:06:19,077
HE BELIEVES THAT THE ROTATION
OF THE GIANT PLANETS
120
00:06:19,079 --> 00:06:23,415
CREATES THE HEXAGON
AND OCTAGON STORMS.
121
00:06:23,417 --> 00:06:25,751
TIGHTEN THAT UP THERE.
122
00:06:25,753 --> 00:06:28,086
Narrator: TO TEST HIS THEORY,
PETER IS GOING TO TRY
123
00:06:28,088 --> 00:06:31,423
AND MAKE HIS OWN
GEOMETRIC STORM IN HIS LAB.
124
00:06:34,061 --> 00:06:39,264
UNLIKE THE EARTH, THE GAS GIANTS
HAVE NO SOLID SURFACE.
125
00:06:39,266 --> 00:06:43,668
INSTEAD, THEY ARE SPINNING BALLS
MADE ALMOST ENTIRELY OF GAS
126
00:06:43,670 --> 00:06:45,303
AND HIGH-PRESSURE LIQUID.
127
00:06:47,141 --> 00:06:50,041
PETER USES A TANK OF
SPINNING WATER TO REPLICATE
128
00:06:50,043 --> 00:06:53,478
JUPITER AND SATURN'S
ATMOSPHERES.
129
00:06:53,480 --> 00:06:56,281
WHEN WE LOOK DOWN ON
THIS EXPERIMENT FROM ABOVE,
130
00:06:56,283 --> 00:06:59,117
IT'S AS IF WE WERE SITTING OVER
THE NORTH POLE OF SATURN
131
00:06:59,119 --> 00:07:00,519
AND ACTUALLY LOOKING DOWN,
132
00:07:00,521 --> 00:07:03,555
SO THE WATER REPRESENTS
THE ATMOSPHERE.
133
00:07:03,557 --> 00:07:05,424
THE CENTER OF THE TANK
REPRESENTS
134
00:07:05,426 --> 00:07:08,393
THE POLE OF THE PLANET,
AND THE OUTER PART REPRESENTS
135
00:07:08,395 --> 00:07:11,830
A LOWER-LATITUDE PART
OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
136
00:07:11,832 --> 00:07:14,232
Narrator: TO TRY AND CREATE
A GEOMETRIC STORM,
137
00:07:14,234 --> 00:07:17,002
PETER MAKES THE TANK ROTATE
IN THE SAME WAY
138
00:07:17,004 --> 00:07:19,004
AS ONE OF THE GAS GIANTS.
139
00:07:21,608 --> 00:07:24,342
THE CENTRAL DISK ROTATES SLOWLY,
140
00:07:24,344 --> 00:07:26,645
FORCING THE WATER ABOVE IT
TO ROTATE SLOWER
141
00:07:26,647 --> 00:07:30,449
THAN THE WATER
IN THE OUTER PART OF THE TANK.
142
00:07:30,451 --> 00:07:33,652
THAT MIMICS THE GAS GIANTS WHERE
THE REST OF THE PLANET
143
00:07:33,654 --> 00:07:37,522
ROTATES MUCH QUICKER THAN
THE POLES.
144
00:07:37,524 --> 00:07:39,858
PETER BELIEVES THAT SECTIONS
OF THE ATMOSPHERE
145
00:07:39,860 --> 00:07:42,961
ROTATING AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS
RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER
146
00:07:42,963 --> 00:07:46,198
CREATE THE GEOMETRIC STORMS.
147
00:07:46,200 --> 00:07:47,532
TO SEE IF HE'S RIGHT,
148
00:07:47,534 --> 00:07:51,970
HE NEEDS TO TRACK
THE FLOW OF WATER IN THE TANK.
149
00:07:51,972 --> 00:07:54,506
WHAT WE'RE NOW GOING TO DO IS,
WE'RE GOING TO INJECT SOME DYE,
150
00:07:54,508 --> 00:07:55,874
AND WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE
151
00:07:55,876 --> 00:07:57,943
WHAT KIND OF FLOW
WE'VE PRODUCED.
152
00:08:00,080 --> 00:08:01,947
Narrator: WHERE
THE QUICK-FLOWING WATER
153
00:08:01,949 --> 00:08:05,350
ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE TANK MEETS
THE SLOWER WATER AT THE CENTER,
154
00:08:05,352 --> 00:08:08,153
SOMETHING ASTONISHING HAPPENS.
155
00:08:08,155 --> 00:08:12,791
A STABLE EDGE FORMS THAT TRACES
OUT A GEOMETRIC SHAPE.
156
00:08:12,793 --> 00:08:15,994
♪
157
00:08:15,996 --> 00:08:18,663
WELL, YOU CAN ALREADY SEE
A STRUCTURE.
158
00:08:18,665 --> 00:08:20,031
IT'S GOT CORNERS IN IT,
159
00:08:20,033 --> 00:08:22,133
BUT IT LOOKS AS THOUGH
THIS HAS PRODUCED SOMETHING
160
00:08:22,135 --> 00:08:26,304
MORE LIKE 5-SIDED FIGURE
RATHER THAN A 6-SIDED FIGURE.
161
00:08:26,306 --> 00:08:27,806
IT'S ALWAYS A MATTER OF...
[ SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY ]
162
00:08:27,808 --> 00:08:30,775
TO EXACTLY
WHICH PATTERN WILL EMERGE.
163
00:08:30,777 --> 00:08:35,580
Narrator: THIS EXPERIMENTAL RUN
CREATES A 5-SIDED PENTAGON.
164
00:08:35,582 --> 00:08:37,916
SUBTLE CHANGES OF THE EXACT
CONDITIONS
165
00:08:37,918 --> 00:08:41,386
IN THE TANK DETERMINE
WHAT SHAPE FORMS.
166
00:08:42,923 --> 00:08:44,956
BY CHANGING THE ROTATION
OF THE DISK,
167
00:08:44,958 --> 00:08:50,128
WE CAN PRODUCE ANYTHING
FROM TRIANGLES, SQUARES,
168
00:08:50,130 --> 00:08:52,731
PENTAGONS,
169
00:08:52,733 --> 00:08:56,067
HEXAGONS,
170
00:08:56,069 --> 00:08:58,470
OCTAGONS.
171
00:08:58,472 --> 00:09:00,272
YOU NAME IT.
172
00:09:02,476 --> 00:09:04,809
Narrator: IN SATURN'S CASE,
173
00:09:04,811 --> 00:09:08,547
THE CONDITIONS GIVE RISE
TO A STUNNING 6-SIDED HEXAGON.
174
00:09:12,686 --> 00:09:17,155
ON JUPITER, THEY CREATE
AN 8-SIDED OCTAGON,
175
00:09:19,192 --> 00:09:22,160
AND IN THIS CASE,
EACH SIDE OF THE OCTAGON
176
00:09:22,162 --> 00:09:25,263
HOLDS A GIANT STORM IN PLACE.
177
00:09:25,265 --> 00:09:27,532
SO THE FLOW WOULD EFFECTIVELY
BE ACTING A LITTLE BIT
178
00:09:27,534 --> 00:09:29,034
LIKE A KIND OF BARRIER
179
00:09:29,036 --> 00:09:32,003
AGAINST WHICH THE CYCLONES
CAN BUMP UP AGAINST,
180
00:09:32,005 --> 00:09:33,939
AND THEN ONCE THEY'VE TAKEN UP
THAT POSITION,
181
00:09:33,941 --> 00:09:36,308
THEN THEY'RE BASICALLY HELD
IN AN EQUILIBRIUM,
182
00:09:36,310 --> 00:09:39,411
AND THAT'S WHAT WE SEE.
183
00:09:39,413 --> 00:09:43,081
Narrator: ALTHOUGH JUPITER
AND SATURN SEEM VERY DIFFERENT,
184
00:09:43,083 --> 00:09:46,685
THESE INCREDIBLE STORMS REVEAL
THAT THE SAME FORCES
185
00:09:46,687 --> 00:09:49,154
DRIVE THE WEATHER
ON BOTH PLANETS,
186
00:09:49,156 --> 00:09:53,658
AND POTENTIALLY ON ALL OTHER
GAS GIANTS ACROSS THE COSMOS.
187
00:09:56,663 --> 00:09:57,862
THERE IS ANOTHER MYSTERY
188
00:09:57,864 --> 00:10:00,332
SURROUNDING THE STORMS
ON JUPITER.
189
00:10:00,334 --> 00:10:03,401
ON THE EARTH, THE HEAT FROM
THE SUN DRIVES THE WEATHER,
190
00:10:03,403 --> 00:10:06,371
BUT JUPITER IS MUCH FURTHER AWAY
191
00:10:06,373 --> 00:10:10,575
AND ONLY GETS 4% OF THE HEAT
THAT FALLS ON THE EARTH.
192
00:10:10,577 --> 00:10:14,045
WHAT DRIVES ITS EXTREME
WEATHER PATTERNS?
193
00:10:14,047 --> 00:10:19,951
♪
194
00:10:26,393 --> 00:10:32,297
♪
195
00:10:32,299 --> 00:10:34,966
Narrator:
JUPITER IS A TRUE GIANT,
196
00:10:34,968 --> 00:10:37,302
LARGE ENOUGH TO FIT
ALL THE OTHER PLANETS
197
00:10:37,304 --> 00:10:40,705
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
WITHIN ITS VAST GLOBE,
198
00:10:40,707 --> 00:10:42,173
YET WE KNOW VERY LITTLE
199
00:10:42,175 --> 00:10:46,778
ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING
BENEATH ITS SWIRLING CLOUDS.
200
00:10:46,780 --> 00:10:49,080
UNLOCKING ITS SECRETS
IS IMPORTANT
201
00:10:49,082 --> 00:10:51,583
FOR OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM
202
00:10:51,585 --> 00:10:55,654
AND ALIEN WORLDS
THAT ORBIT DISTANT STARS.
203
00:10:55,656 --> 00:10:58,890
BUT WE NOW HAVE COUNTLESS
OBSERVATIONS OF GAS GIANTS
204
00:10:58,892 --> 00:11:00,759
ORBITING OTHER STARS.
205
00:11:00,761 --> 00:11:03,762
THEY'RE GIANT JUPITER-LIKE
PLANETS NOT LIKE EARTH,
206
00:11:03,764 --> 00:11:05,230
AND SO WE NEED
TO BETTER UNDERSTAND
207
00:11:05,232 --> 00:11:08,533
HOW PLANETS LIKE JUPITER
WORK IN ORDER TO UNDERSTAND
208
00:11:08,535 --> 00:11:12,704
HOW PLANETS BEYOND
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM WORK.
209
00:11:12,706 --> 00:11:14,039
Narrator: ON THE EARTH,
210
00:11:14,041 --> 00:11:16,207
WE KNOW THAT HEAT FROM THE SUN
DRIVES THE WEATHER
211
00:11:16,209 --> 00:11:19,778
BY WARMING THE ATMOSPHERE
AND WATER ON THE SURFACE.
212
00:11:19,780 --> 00:11:22,313
SO THE MOST FEROCIOUS STORMS
ARE FOUND
213
00:11:22,315 --> 00:11:25,283
WHERE THERE IS
THE MOST SUNLIGHT.
214
00:11:25,285 --> 00:11:28,853
Oluseyi: WEATHER ON EARTH IS
PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY SUNLIGHT,
215
00:11:28,855 --> 00:11:31,589
AND WHERE THE GROUND
AND THE OCEANS ARE HOTTEST,
216
00:11:31,591 --> 00:11:34,159
NEAR THE EQUATOR
AND JUST ABOVE AND JUST BELOW,
217
00:11:34,161 --> 00:11:36,494
IS WHERE THE WEATHER GETS
REALLY SERIOUS.
218
00:11:36,496 --> 00:11:40,298
WE GET HURRICANES,
AND OVER LAND, WE GET TORNADOES.
219
00:11:42,502 --> 00:11:46,171
Narrator: BUT JUPITER ORBITS
AROUND 370 MILLION MILES
220
00:11:46,173 --> 00:11:48,807
FURTHER AWAY FROM THE SUN,
221
00:11:48,809 --> 00:11:51,743
SO IT RECEIVES LESS THAN
4% OF THE HEAT
222
00:11:51,745 --> 00:11:55,213
THAT FALLS ON THE EARTH,
223
00:11:55,215 --> 00:12:00,518
YET STORMS COVER
ALMOST ITS ENTIRE SURFACE.
224
00:12:00,520 --> 00:12:06,224
WHAT DRIVES SUCH AN EXCESS
OF WEATHER ON JUPITER?
225
00:12:06,226 --> 00:12:10,161
THE STORMS THEMSELVES PROVIDE
ANOTHER CLUE.
226
00:12:10,163 --> 00:12:12,864
THE SPACE PROBE JUNO DETECTS
THAT THE VERY BOTTOM
227
00:12:12,866 --> 00:12:15,667
OF THE STORMS
ARE WARMER THAN THE TOP.
228
00:12:19,706 --> 00:12:22,240
HIDDEN INSIDE JUPITER
IS THE HEAT SOURCE
229
00:12:22,242 --> 00:12:26,044
THAT POWERS
ITS PHENOMENAL WEATHER.
230
00:12:26,046 --> 00:12:28,913
JUPITER'S CORE
IS A SEETHING FURNACE,
231
00:12:28,915 --> 00:12:33,818
SIZZLING AT A FEROCIOUS
43,000 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
232
00:12:35,422 --> 00:12:37,856
IT HEATS THE LAYERS OF GAS ABOVE
233
00:12:37,858 --> 00:12:41,693
AND CREATES
TURBULENT SWIRLING PLUMES
234
00:12:41,695 --> 00:12:44,963
THAT PUNCH THEIR WAY
UP TOWARDS JUPITER'S SURFACE...
235
00:12:47,300 --> 00:12:52,237
...FORMING POWERFUL STORMS,
LIKE THE ONES HELD
236
00:12:52,239 --> 00:12:55,807
IN THE PERFECT OCTAGON
AT THE NORTH POLE OF THE PLANET.
237
00:12:55,809 --> 00:12:59,544
♪
238
00:12:59,546 --> 00:13:01,146
WHEN YOU'RE FAR AWAY
FROM THE SUN
239
00:13:01,148 --> 00:13:02,480
OUT BY JUPITER OR SATURN,
240
00:13:02,482 --> 00:13:04,849
THE HEAT IS COMING FROM
THE INTERIOR OF THE PLANET.
241
00:13:04,851 --> 00:13:07,485
IT'S ALMOST SORT OF LIKE
INSIDE-OUT WEATHER.
242
00:13:09,589 --> 00:13:13,024
Narrator: TODAY, ASTRONOMERS USE
THE GAS GIANT'S EPIC WEATHER
243
00:13:13,026 --> 00:13:16,694
TO SOLVE ONE OF THE MOST
ENDURING MYSTERIES --
244
00:13:16,696 --> 00:13:19,798
IF THE SUN ISN'T HEATING
JUPITER'S ATMOSPHERE,
245
00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:24,035
WHY IS ITS ATMOSPHERE SO HOT?
246
00:13:24,037 --> 00:13:26,371
JUPITER'S UPPER ATMOSPHERE
SIZZLES
247
00:13:26,373 --> 00:13:29,440
AT MORE THAN 700 DEGREES
FAHRENHEIT WARMER
248
00:13:29,442 --> 00:13:33,411
THAN SCIENTISTS EXPECT,
AND NO ONE KNOWS WHY.
249
00:13:35,448 --> 00:13:40,351
ASTRONOMER TOM STALLARD
HAS A SURPRISING THEORY.
250
00:13:40,353 --> 00:13:42,921
HE BELIEVES
JUPITER'S LARGEST STORMS
251
00:13:42,923 --> 00:13:46,291
MAY BE HEATING
THE ATMOSPHERE ABOVE THEM.
252
00:13:46,293 --> 00:13:49,961
HE USES NASA'S INFRARED
TELESCOPE FACILITY HERE
253
00:13:49,963 --> 00:13:53,264
ON THE SUMMIT OF MAUNA KEA,
ON HAWAII'S BIG ISLAND,
254
00:13:53,266 --> 00:13:55,667
TO HUNT FOR THE EVIDENCE.
255
00:13:55,669 --> 00:13:58,536
Stallard: IF WE CAN FIND NEW
SOURCES OF ENERGY OR THE WAYS
256
00:13:58,538 --> 00:14:01,139
THAT THAT ENERGY IS MOVING
AROUND IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE,
257
00:14:01,141 --> 00:14:03,975
IT MIGHT LEAD TO A RESOLUTION
FOR THIS MYSTERY
258
00:14:03,977 --> 00:14:07,512
OF WHY THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE
OF JUPITER IS SO HOT.
259
00:14:07,514 --> 00:14:10,448
Narrator: TOM USES THE TELESCOPE
TO LOOK FOR HEAT GIVEN OFF
260
00:14:10,450 --> 00:14:13,051
BY JUPITER'S SEETHING STORMS.
261
00:14:14,154 --> 00:14:17,822
ANYTHING HOT GIVES OFF
INFRARED LIGHT.
262
00:14:17,824 --> 00:14:22,293
HUMANS CAN'T SEE THIS TYPE OF
LIGHT, BUT THIS TELESCOPE CAN.
263
00:14:23,763 --> 00:14:26,865
THE DIFFICULTY IS
THAT EVERYTHING THAT IS HOT
264
00:14:26,867 --> 00:14:31,269
GIVES OFF INFRARED LIGHT,
INCLUDING THE TELESCOPE.
265
00:14:31,271 --> 00:14:33,705
Stallard: IF ANYTHING
IN THE TELESCOPE IS HOT,
266
00:14:33,707 --> 00:14:36,507
WE'LL JUST SEE THE NOISE
FROM THE TELESCOPE,
267
00:14:36,509 --> 00:14:40,311
SO EVERY NIGHT WE HAVE TO PUMP
THROUGH MORE LIQUID NITROGEN
268
00:14:40,313 --> 00:14:42,614
TO KEEP
THE INSTRUMENTATION COLD.
269
00:14:42,616 --> 00:14:46,517
♪
270
00:14:46,519 --> 00:14:48,753
Narrator: WITH THE TELESCOPE
NICELY CHILLED,
271
00:14:48,755 --> 00:14:51,055
TOM SEARCHES
FOR ANY HEAT PRODUCED
272
00:14:51,057 --> 00:14:53,124
BY JUPITER'S INCREDIBLE WEATHER.
273
00:14:55,128 --> 00:14:57,762
Stallard: SO HERE IT IS.
SO THIS IS JUPITER.
274
00:14:57,764 --> 00:14:59,030
IT'S POSITIONED
PRETTY WELL RIGHT NOW,
275
00:14:59,032 --> 00:15:01,199
SO WE'LL START TAKING DATA,
276
00:15:01,201 --> 00:15:05,503
AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO MAP OUT
THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE OF JUPITER.
277
00:15:05,505 --> 00:15:07,906
Narrator: IF JUPITER'S STORMS
ARE GENERATING HEAT,
278
00:15:07,908 --> 00:15:09,307
AS TOM SUSPECTS,
279
00:15:09,309 --> 00:15:13,478
THERE'S ONE OBVIOUS PLACE
TO START THE SEARCH.
280
00:15:13,480 --> 00:15:14,979
Oluseyi:
THERE'S A LOT OF STORMS
281
00:15:14,981 --> 00:15:16,681
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
AT ALL TIMES,
282
00:15:16,683 --> 00:15:19,584
BUT THERE'S ONE STORM
THAT'S THE KING OF STORMS,
283
00:15:19,586 --> 00:15:22,887
AND THAT'S
JUPITER'S GREAT RED SPOT.
284
00:15:22,889 --> 00:15:25,490
Narrator: IS THE SOLAR SYSTEM'S
LARGEST STORM,
285
00:15:25,492 --> 00:15:27,091
THE GREAT RED SPOT,
286
00:15:27,093 --> 00:15:29,694
SUPERHEATING
JUPITER'S ATMOSPHERE?
287
00:15:29,696 --> 00:15:31,562
AND IF SO, HOW?
288
00:15:31,564 --> 00:15:35,466
THE ANSWERS COULD HELP
ASTRONOMERS UNLOCK THE SECRETS
289
00:15:35,468 --> 00:15:38,803
OF THE MYSTERIOUS
GAS-SHROUDED PLANETS.
290
00:15:38,805 --> 00:15:43,608
♪
291
00:15:49,816 --> 00:15:55,086
♪
292
00:15:55,088 --> 00:15:59,691
Narrator: JUPITER'S GREAT RED
SPOT IS A PLANET-SIZED CYCLONE.
293
00:15:59,693 --> 00:16:03,962
370 MILE PER HOUR WINDS
SHAKE THE STORM,
294
00:16:03,964 --> 00:16:07,665
WHICH TOWERS NEARLY 5 MILES
ABOVE THE CLOUD LAYER.
295
00:16:07,667 --> 00:16:10,835
TOM STALLARD WANTS TO KNOW IF
THIS INCREDIBLE WEATHER
296
00:16:10,837 --> 00:16:14,706
IS SO POWERFUL THAT IT HEATS
THE ATMOSPHERE ABOVE IT.
297
00:16:14,708 --> 00:16:17,675
Stallard: WE WANT TO GO TO
THE BIGGEST AND BADDEST STORMS,
298
00:16:17,677 --> 00:16:19,010
AND THE GREAT RED SPOT
299
00:16:19,012 --> 00:16:21,012
IS THE LARGEST STORM
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM,
300
00:16:21,014 --> 00:16:24,916
SO IF IT'S HAPPENING FROM
ANYWHERE, IT'S HAPPENING THERE.
301
00:16:24,918 --> 00:16:27,318
WE HAVE MEASUREMENTS
FROM POLE TO POLE,
302
00:16:27,320 --> 00:16:29,654
BUT RIGHT ON TOP
OF THE GREAT RED SPOT,
303
00:16:29,656 --> 00:16:31,089
IT'S SIGNIFICANTLY BRIGHTER,
304
00:16:31,091 --> 00:16:33,157
AND IT'S BRIGHTER
BECAUSE IT'S HOTTER,
305
00:16:33,159 --> 00:16:34,592
SO THAT'S SHOWING US DIRECTLY
306
00:16:34,594 --> 00:16:36,494
THAT THE REGION
OF THE ATMOSPHERE
307
00:16:36,496 --> 00:16:42,800
ABOVE THE GREAT RED SPOT
IS SUPERHEATED BY SOME PROCESS.
308
00:16:42,802 --> 00:16:45,903
Narrator: TOM HAS COME UP
WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY THEORY.
309
00:16:45,905 --> 00:16:49,974
HE THINKS THE SOUND OF THE STORM
HEATS THE ATMOSPHERE.
310
00:16:49,976 --> 00:16:52,276
AND IT'S EFFECTIVELY
THAT HOWLING THAT YOU HEAR
311
00:16:52,278 --> 00:16:54,479
IN THOSE TERRIBLE VIDEOS
OF HURRICANES
312
00:16:54,481 --> 00:16:58,683
WHERE WE CAN HEAR
THAT TERRIBLE, EERIE HOWL.
313
00:16:58,685 --> 00:17:00,551
Man: HOLY MACKEREL.
314
00:17:04,190 --> 00:17:06,424
Narrator: TOM BELIEVES
THIS THUNDEROUS SOUND
315
00:17:06,426 --> 00:17:12,196
HAS AN ASTONISHING EFFECT TO
THE VERY TOP OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
316
00:17:12,198 --> 00:17:15,733
THE MOST VIOLENT AND LOUDEST
PART OF THE GREAT RED SPOT
317
00:17:15,735 --> 00:17:18,069
IS WHERE THE GIANT STORM
BUTTS UP
318
00:17:18,071 --> 00:17:20,838
AGAINST THE REST
OF JUPITER'S ATMOSPHERE.
319
00:17:23,376 --> 00:17:26,044
OUT HERE, AT THE EDGE
OF THE STORM,
320
00:17:26,046 --> 00:17:30,581
WINDS ARE AT THEIR FASTEST
AND MOST TURBULENT.
321
00:17:30,583 --> 00:17:33,651
THEY SMASH INTO WINDS
OUTSIDE THE STORM.
322
00:17:36,256 --> 00:17:40,224
THESE COLLISIONS CREATE POWERFUL
SOUND WAVES,
323
00:17:40,226 --> 00:17:43,895
WHICH SPREAD UPWARDS.
324
00:17:43,897 --> 00:17:45,930
AS THESE HIGH-ENERGY SOUND WAVES
325
00:17:45,932 --> 00:17:49,000
REACH THE EDGE
OF THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE,
326
00:17:49,002 --> 00:17:53,771
THEY BECOME UNSTABLE AND FINALLY
RELEASE THE ENERGY AS HEAT.
327
00:17:53,773 --> 00:17:57,675
♪
328
00:17:57,677 --> 00:18:00,845
THE GREAT RED SPOT IS NOT ENOUGH
TO EXPLAIN
329
00:18:00,847 --> 00:18:03,714
ALL OF JUPITER'S EXTRA HEAT,
330
00:18:03,716 --> 00:18:08,052
BUT THE PLANET'S OTHER STORMS
MAY LEND A HELPING HAND.
331
00:18:08,054 --> 00:18:10,088
THE THING ABOUT JUPITER IS THAT
IT DOESN'T HAVE
332
00:18:10,090 --> 00:18:11,355
JUST ONE CYCLONE.
333
00:18:11,357 --> 00:18:13,291
THE GREAT RED SPOT IS
THE BIGGEST,
334
00:18:13,293 --> 00:18:15,393
THE BADDEST,
AND THE MOST NOTICEABLE,
335
00:18:15,395 --> 00:18:17,962
BUT THE SURFACE IS COVERED
WITH CYCLONES,
336
00:18:17,964 --> 00:18:20,865
SO THE GREAT RED SPOT
IS HEATING THE ATMOSPHERE.
337
00:18:20,867 --> 00:18:24,535
WHAT IS THE EFFECT OF ALL THESE
OTHER CYCLONES GOING ON?
338
00:18:24,537 --> 00:18:26,437
Narrator:
IT'S AN INCREDIBLE DISCOVERY,
339
00:18:26,439 --> 00:18:30,208
THE DEAFENING SOUND
OF JUPITER'S GREATEST STORMS
340
00:18:30,210 --> 00:18:32,543
HEATING THE PLANET,
341
00:18:32,545 --> 00:18:35,379
AND IT SHOWS THAT WEATHER
IS AN INTRINSIC PART
342
00:18:35,381 --> 00:18:38,049
OF HOW THESE GIANT PLANETS WORK.
343
00:18:38,051 --> 00:18:40,384
Tremblay: THIS OBSERVATION OF
THE GREAT RED SPOT ON JUPITER
344
00:18:40,386 --> 00:18:42,520
OPENS A NEW WINDOW
INTO OUR UNDERSTANDING
345
00:18:42,522 --> 00:18:46,757
OF HOW A SINGLE MASSIVE STORM
CAN AFFECT AN ENTIRE PLANET.
346
00:18:47,894 --> 00:18:49,894
Narrator: THE WILD WEATHER
ON THE GAS GIANTS
347
00:18:49,896 --> 00:18:53,931
EXPOSES THEIR INNER WORKINGS,
348
00:18:53,933 --> 00:18:56,200
AND THE GREAT RED SPOT
MAY BE ABOUT
349
00:18:56,202 --> 00:19:00,171
TO REVEAL MORE SECRETS
ABOUT JUPITER.
350
00:19:00,173 --> 00:19:02,106
IT'S SET TO GO THROUGH
351
00:19:02,108 --> 00:19:05,409
A PARTICULARLY SHOCKING
TRANSFORMATION.
352
00:19:05,411 --> 00:19:08,946
ASTRONOMERS ARE WORRIED
THAT THE GREAT STORM
353
00:19:08,948 --> 00:19:10,615
MAY BE ABOUT TO DIE.
354
00:19:10,617 --> 00:19:12,183
Howett:
THE GREAT RED SPOT IS SO BIG,
355
00:19:12,185 --> 00:19:14,619
WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO SEE IT
FROM THE EARTH FOR A LONG TIME.
356
00:19:14,621 --> 00:19:17,688
IT'S POSSIBLE, ACTUALLY,
OBSERVATIONS MADE IN THE 1600s
357
00:19:17,690 --> 00:19:20,124
WERE VIEWING THE SAME SPOT.
358
00:19:20,126 --> 00:19:22,527
Narrator: THE STORM HAS BEEN
OUR CONSTANT COMPANION
359
00:19:22,529 --> 00:19:27,031
FOR NEARLY AS LONG
AS WE'VE HAD TELESCOPES,
360
00:19:27,033 --> 00:19:28,666
BUT ASTRONOMER AMY SIMON
361
00:19:28,668 --> 00:19:33,271
IS DETECTING ALARMING CHANGES
IN THE GREAT RED SPOT.
362
00:19:33,273 --> 00:19:38,209
SHE STUDIES THE STORM
WITH THE HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE.
363
00:19:38,211 --> 00:19:41,445
HUBBLE IS PARTICULARLY SPECIAL
TO US BECAUSE OF ITS LONGEVITY.
364
00:19:41,447 --> 00:19:43,915
IT'S NOW BEEN IN ORBIT
FOR 28 YEARS,
365
00:19:43,917 --> 00:19:45,516
SO WE CAN START
TO PIECE TOGETHER
366
00:19:45,518 --> 00:19:49,387
THIS LONG-TERM PICTURE OF HOW
THE GREAT RED SPOT IS CHANGING.
367
00:19:50,823 --> 00:19:53,791
Narrator: THESE HUBBLE IMAGES
REVEAL THAT THE GREAT RED SPOT
368
00:19:53,793 --> 00:19:57,862
IS SHRINKING ALARMINGLY
AND CHANGING COLOR,
369
00:19:57,864 --> 00:20:01,499
BECOMING MORE INTENSELY ORANGE.
370
00:20:01,501 --> 00:20:04,936
NOW, AMY HAS DISCOVERED
A WORRYING NEW DEVELOPMENT
371
00:20:04,938 --> 00:20:06,771
THAT COULD EXPLAIN
THE CHANGES
372
00:20:06,773 --> 00:20:10,675
AND THREATEN
THE STORM'S EXISTENCE.
373
00:20:10,677 --> 00:20:12,810
BY USING SPECIAL CAMERA FILTERS
ON HUBBLE,
374
00:20:12,812 --> 00:20:14,612
WE'RE ABLE TO SEE
THAT THE GREAT RED SPOT
375
00:20:14,614 --> 00:20:17,248
IS NOT ONLY GETTING SMALLER,
IT'S GETTING TALLER.
376
00:20:17,250 --> 00:20:19,617
EACH YEAR, IT'S GETTING
HIGHER AND HIGHER.
377
00:20:19,619 --> 00:20:23,354
♪
378
00:20:23,356 --> 00:20:25,423
Narrator:
IT'S THIS CHANGE IN HEIGHT
379
00:20:25,425 --> 00:20:27,892
THAT COULD ULTIMATELY
SEAL ITS FATE.
380
00:20:31,497 --> 00:20:33,764
140 YEARS AGO,
381
00:20:33,766 --> 00:20:38,803
THE GREAT RED SPOT WAS THREE
TIMES WIDER THAN THE EARTH.
382
00:20:38,805 --> 00:20:42,039
TODAY, IT'S LESS THAN HALF
THAT SIZE,
383
00:20:42,041 --> 00:20:44,809
AND IT'S GETTING SMALLER.
384
00:20:44,811 --> 00:20:48,346
BUT AS ITS WAISTLINE SHRINKS,
385
00:20:48,348 --> 00:20:51,048
IT'S STRETCHING UPWARDS,
386
00:20:51,050 --> 00:20:54,418
STICKING UP HIGHER INTO
THE ATMOSPHERE,
387
00:20:54,420 --> 00:20:57,321
WHERE SUNLIGHT BAKES IT
A DEEP ORANGE.
388
00:20:59,259 --> 00:21:02,560
AS IT GROWS TALLER,
IT BEGINS TO ENCOUNTER WINDS
389
00:21:02,562 --> 00:21:04,362
IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE.
390
00:21:04,364 --> 00:21:08,466
THESE WINDS COULD TEAR
THE STORM APART.
391
00:21:08,468 --> 00:21:12,103
THE GREAT RED SPOT COULD BE
DESTROYED FAR SOONER
392
00:21:12,105 --> 00:21:15,840
THAN ANYONE THOUGHT.
393
00:21:15,842 --> 00:21:18,442
IMAGINING JUPITER WITHOUT ITS
GREAT RED SPOT IS LIKE
394
00:21:18,444 --> 00:21:20,945
IMAGINING SATURN
WITHOUT ITS RINGS.
395
00:21:20,947 --> 00:21:22,847
THAT'S A DAMN SHAME.
396
00:21:22,849 --> 00:21:24,749
♪
397
00:21:24,751 --> 00:21:26,751
Narrator: BUT THE DEATH OF
THE GREAT RED SPOT
398
00:21:26,753 --> 00:21:30,721
COULD ALSO REVEAL NEW SECRETS
ABOUT THE GIANT PLANET.
399
00:21:30,723 --> 00:21:32,757
PLANETS ARE PLANETS.
THEY DO WHAT THEY DO.
400
00:21:32,759 --> 00:21:34,959
THEY'RE DYNAMIC AND CHANGE
ALL THE TIME,
401
00:21:34,961 --> 00:21:36,527
AND THAT'S REALLY
WHAT MAKES THEM INTERESTING.
402
00:21:36,529 --> 00:21:39,764
SO ALTHOUGH ON A PERSONAL LEVEL
IT WOULD BE SAD,
403
00:21:39,766 --> 00:21:42,566
IT WOULD BE FANTASTICALLY
INTERESTING FOR THE SCIENCE.
404
00:21:42,568 --> 00:21:44,602
Howett: WE DON'T KNOW WHAT'S
GONNA HAPPEN IN THE FUTURE.
405
00:21:44,604 --> 00:21:46,637
MAYBE IT CONTINUES TO SHRINK
AND DIES AWAY.
406
00:21:46,639 --> 00:21:49,206
MAYBE SOMETHING NEW COMES UP
AS A RESULT OF THAT,
407
00:21:49,208 --> 00:21:51,742
OR MAYBE IT GROWS AGAIN.
408
00:21:51,744 --> 00:21:53,444
I FEEL A BIT TORN.
ON THE ONE HAND,
409
00:21:53,446 --> 00:21:55,813
SAD AT THE LOSS OF ANY ICON,
AND THIS ONE IN PARTICULAR,
410
00:21:55,815 --> 00:21:58,215
BUT EXCITED TO SEE
WHAT WILL REPLACE IT.
411
00:22:00,520 --> 00:22:02,720
Narrator:
EVEN WITHOUT THE GREAT RED SPOT,
412
00:22:02,722 --> 00:22:07,625
JUPITER'S STORMS ARE BRASH,
BOLD, AND ALWAYS ON SHOW,
413
00:22:07,627 --> 00:22:12,163
A WINDOW INTO WHAT IS
HAPPENING WITHIN THE PLANET.
414
00:22:12,165 --> 00:22:17,268
BUT JUPITER'S NEIGHBOR SATURN
APPEARS TO BE VERY DIFFERENT.
415
00:22:17,270 --> 00:22:21,038
SATURN LIES TWICE AS FAR
FROM THE SUN AS JUPITER,
416
00:22:21,040 --> 00:22:24,342
OVER 600 MILLION MILES
AWAY FROM OUR STAR,
417
00:22:24,344 --> 00:22:27,812
IN THE FROZEN
OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM.
418
00:22:27,814 --> 00:22:32,616
AT FIRST GLANCE,
SATURN SEEMS INCREDIBLY CALM.
419
00:22:32,618 --> 00:22:34,452
Thaller: COMPARED
TO A TURBULENT ATMOSPHERE
420
00:22:34,454 --> 00:22:36,454
LIKE WE SEE
ON THE PLANET JUPITER,
421
00:22:36,456 --> 00:22:39,056
SATURN IS VERY CALM,
VERY SERENE.
422
00:22:39,058 --> 00:22:41,359
Narrator:
BUT ROUGHLY EVERY 30 YEARS,
423
00:22:41,361 --> 00:22:43,994
SOMETHING ASTONISHING HAPPENS --
424
00:22:43,996 --> 00:22:50,201
THE MOTHER OF ALL STORMS ERUPTS,
SEEMINGLY OUT OF NOWHERE.
425
00:22:50,203 --> 00:22:51,702
IF YOU LOOK AT AN IMAGE
OF SATURN,
426
00:22:51,704 --> 00:22:53,170
IT LOOKS REALLY SMOOTH
427
00:22:53,172 --> 00:22:56,207
WITH THESE REALLY CLEAN BANDS
PAINTED AROUND THE PLANET,
428
00:22:56,209 --> 00:22:59,276
BUT THEN, BAM!
THIS 30-YEAR STORM POPS UP,
429
00:22:59,278 --> 00:23:02,546
AND IT'S AN INDICATION THAT
BENEATH THESE PRISTINE CLOUDS
430
00:23:02,548 --> 00:23:04,882
IS CHAOS BELOW.
431
00:23:04,884 --> 00:23:07,618
Narrator: WHAT CAUSES THESE
MASSIVE STORMS
432
00:23:07,620 --> 00:23:11,856
TO RISE UP ON SATURN
JUST ONCE EVERY 30 YEARS?
433
00:23:11,858 --> 00:23:18,062
♪
434
00:23:24,337 --> 00:23:29,440
♪
435
00:23:29,442 --> 00:23:32,410
Narrator: ASTRONOMERS ARE USING
THE WEATHER ON THE GIANT PLANETS
436
00:23:32,412 --> 00:23:36,247
TO DISCOVER
THEIR HIDDEN SECRETS,
437
00:23:36,249 --> 00:23:37,681
BUT FOR MOST OF THE TIME,
438
00:23:37,683 --> 00:23:41,852
SATURN HAS VERY LITTLE WEATHER
ON SHOW
439
00:23:41,854 --> 00:23:44,622
UNTIL SUDDENLY,
EVERY 30 YEARS OR SO,
440
00:23:44,624 --> 00:23:48,426
A GIANT STORM BREAKS OUT
IN THE CLOUD TOPS.
441
00:23:48,428 --> 00:23:50,027
EVERYTHING CHANGES
AT THAT MOMENT,
442
00:23:50,029 --> 00:23:52,963
AND STORMS BUBBLE UP
FROM DEEP INSIDE THE ATMOSPHERE
443
00:23:52,965 --> 00:23:56,734
AND STREAM ALL THE WAY AROUND
THE GIANT PLANET.
444
00:23:56,736 --> 00:23:58,803
Narrator:
RECENTLY, ASTRONOMERS SPOTTED
445
00:23:58,805 --> 00:24:02,807
ONE OF SATURN'S
INCREDIBLY RARE STORMS.
446
00:24:02,809 --> 00:24:06,844
A TOWERING THUNDERHEAD ERUPTS
UNDER THE SURFACE OF THE PLANET,
447
00:24:06,846 --> 00:24:11,348
WIDER THAN THE EARTH
AND MORE THAN 150 MILES HIGH.
448
00:24:14,187 --> 00:24:16,854
WITHIN ITS BRIGHT WHITE CLOUDS,
449
00:24:16,856 --> 00:24:20,958
WINDS HOWL AT MORE THAN
370 MILES PER HOUR.
450
00:24:26,098 --> 00:24:30,367
DEEP IN THE CLOUDS, BRILLIANT
BLUE LIGHTNING CRACKLES,
451
00:24:30,369 --> 00:24:37,041
EACH STRIKE 10,000 TIMES MORE
POWERFUL THAN THOSE ON EARTH.
452
00:24:37,043 --> 00:24:42,480
THE THUNDERHEAD SENDS CLOUDS
STREAMING OUT OVER 60,000 MILES
453
00:24:42,482 --> 00:24:45,649
AS THE STORM RAGES
FOR MORE THAN 6 MONTHS.
454
00:24:47,620 --> 00:24:51,522
WHAT CAUSES THESE GIANT STORMS
TO ERUPT SEEMINGLY
455
00:24:51,524 --> 00:24:55,993
OUT OF NOWHERE,
AND WHAT SECRETS CAN THEY REVEAL
456
00:24:55,995 --> 00:24:58,762
ABOUT SATURN'S
INTERNAL STRUCTURE?
457
00:25:01,934 --> 00:25:04,935
THE FIRST CLUE IS THAT SATURN
MAY NOT BE AS CALM
458
00:25:04,937 --> 00:25:07,571
AS IT INITIALLY LOOKS.
459
00:25:07,573 --> 00:25:10,274
ATMOSPHERIC SCIENTIST
SARAH HORST
460
00:25:10,276 --> 00:25:16,180
THINKS SATURN'S STORMS
ACTUALLY RAGE 365 DAYS A YEAR,
461
00:25:16,182 --> 00:25:18,349
BUT THEY'RE NORMALLY
HIDDEN FROM VIEW.
462
00:25:18,351 --> 00:25:22,152
SHE'S CONVINCED THAT A BLANKET
OF TINY SOLID PARTICLES,
463
00:25:22,154 --> 00:25:24,922
A HAZE LAYER,
WRAPS AROUND SATURN,
464
00:25:24,924 --> 00:25:29,059
BLOCKING OUR VIEW
OF THE RAGING STORMS BELOW.
465
00:25:29,061 --> 00:25:31,161
Horst: WHAT WE'RE SEEING IS THAT
THE HAZE PARTICLES
466
00:25:31,163 --> 00:25:33,597
DON'T LET US SEE AS DEEP DOWN
IN SATURN'S ATMOSPHERE
467
00:25:33,599 --> 00:25:36,367
AS WE CAN IN
JUPITER'S ATMOSPHERE.
468
00:25:36,369 --> 00:25:38,569
Narrator: WHERE DO
THESE PARTICLES COME FROM?
469
00:25:38,571 --> 00:25:41,739
SARAH BELIEVES SUNLIGHT CREATES
THE HAZE LAYER
470
00:25:41,741 --> 00:25:45,075
AT THE VERY TOP
OF SATURN'S ATMOSPHERE.
471
00:25:45,077 --> 00:25:46,544
TO TEST HER THEORY,
472
00:25:46,546 --> 00:25:49,914
SHE NEEDS TO MAKE
A SAMPLE OF THE PLANET'S CLOUDS.
473
00:25:49,916 --> 00:25:52,416
Horst: IN THE SATURN ATMOSPHERE
EXPERIMENT THAT WE'RE RUNNING,
474
00:25:52,418 --> 00:25:54,118
YOU MIX TOGETHER HYDROGEN,
475
00:25:54,120 --> 00:25:57,221
WHICH IS THE MAIN CONSTITUENT
IN SATURN'S ATMOSPHERE,
476
00:25:57,223 --> 00:26:00,224
AND HELIUM, WHICH IS THE SECOND
MOST ABUNDANT MOLECULE,
477
00:26:00,226 --> 00:26:03,894
WITH A LITTLE BIT OF METHANE
AND A LITTLE BIT OF AMMONIA.
478
00:26:06,165 --> 00:26:09,433
Narrator: THE GASES MIX
IN A VACUUM CHAMBER.
479
00:26:09,435 --> 00:26:12,603
SARAH THINKS THAT SUNLIGHT
BREAKS APART THESE GASES,
480
00:26:12,605 --> 00:26:16,740
WHICH THEN REFORM
AS TINY SOLID HAZE PARTICLES.
481
00:26:16,742 --> 00:26:19,710
TO TEST THAT, SHE NEEDS
A SOURCE OF ENERGY
482
00:26:19,712 --> 00:26:21,912
TO MIMIC THE EFFECT OF THE SUN.
483
00:26:21,914 --> 00:26:25,082
I CAN'T PUT A STAR IN MY LAB
AS MUCH AS I WOULD LIKE TO,
484
00:26:25,084 --> 00:26:27,952
SO INSTEAD, WE HAVE TO
KIND OF FAKE IT.
485
00:26:27,954 --> 00:26:30,421
THE PLASMA THAT WE'RE USING
IS SIMILAR TO
486
00:26:30,423 --> 00:26:34,391
THE MOST ENERGETIC PHOTONS
THAT COME FROM THE SUN.
487
00:26:34,393 --> 00:26:37,995
Narrator: HAS SARAH TRANSFORMED
SATURN'S GASSY ATMOSPHERE
488
00:26:37,997 --> 00:26:40,364
INTO A SOLID HAZE?
489
00:26:40,366 --> 00:26:42,967
SO IF WE USE THIS FLASHLIGHT,
WE CAN LOOK INSIDE AND SEE,
490
00:26:42,969 --> 00:26:45,402
AND IT TURNS OUT WE ALREADY HAVE
A BUNCH OF BROWN MATERIAL
491
00:26:45,404 --> 00:26:48,872
THAT HAS STARTED TO COLLECT
ON THE WALLS OF THE CHAMBER.
492
00:26:48,874 --> 00:26:50,774
Narrator: THE BACK
OF THE CHAMBER IS COVERED
493
00:26:50,776 --> 00:26:53,010
WITH A DARK BROWN SLUDGE.
494
00:26:56,549 --> 00:27:00,718
SARAH REMOVES THE SLUDGE
FROM THE VACUUM CHAMBER.
495
00:27:00,720 --> 00:27:04,254
IT'S THIS SUBSTANCE THAT SARAH
THINKS FORMS A BLANKET
496
00:27:04,256 --> 00:27:07,157
AROUND THE TOP OF
SATURN'S ATMOSPHERE.
497
00:27:07,159 --> 00:27:10,127
TO COMPLETE HER EXPERIMENT,
SARAH HAS TO PROVE
498
00:27:10,129 --> 00:27:14,498
THAT THESE PARTICLES CAN BLOCK
OUR VIEW OF SATURN'S STORMS.
499
00:27:14,500 --> 00:27:17,334
SO SHE EXAMINES
WHAT HAPPENS TO LIGHT
500
00:27:17,336 --> 00:27:20,237
WHEN IT SHINES THROUGH
THE PARTICLES.
501
00:27:20,239 --> 00:27:22,640
ACTUALLY, THERE'S A HUGE RANGE
OF SUNLIGHT
502
00:27:22,642 --> 00:27:25,509
THAT IS JUST NOT GETTING THROUGH
THE HAZE PARTICLES.
503
00:27:26,912 --> 00:27:29,546
Narrator: THE RESULTS SHOW
HOW THE HAZE LAYER ABSORBS
504
00:27:29,548 --> 00:27:31,348
AND SCATTERS MOST LIGHT,
505
00:27:31,350 --> 00:27:36,020
MAKING IT DIFFICULT
TO SEE THE PLANET BELOW.
506
00:27:36,022 --> 00:27:39,623
BUT THE SPACE PROBE CASSINI'S
INFRARED CAMERAS
507
00:27:39,625 --> 00:27:41,558
CAN SEE THROUGH THIS HAZE.
508
00:27:41,560 --> 00:27:44,561
IT CAPTURES THESE AMAZING IMAGES
509
00:27:44,563 --> 00:27:48,666
THAT PROVE THAT STORMS
CRISSCROSS SATURN.
510
00:27:48,668 --> 00:27:51,301
IT'S NOT THAT SATURN
DOESN'T HAVE ALL THESE FEATURES.
511
00:27:51,303 --> 00:27:53,370
IT'S THAT SATURN HAS
A HAZE LAYER
512
00:27:53,372 --> 00:27:55,305
THAT BLOCKS OUR VIEW OF THEM.
513
00:27:55,307 --> 00:27:57,841
SO SATURN IS RAGING
LIKE JUPITER IS.
514
00:27:57,843 --> 00:27:59,476
WE JUST DON'T SEE IT.
515
00:27:59,478 --> 00:28:02,646
♪
516
00:28:02,648 --> 00:28:05,382
Narrator: WHAT MAKES THESE
PLANET-SIZED THUNDERSTORMS
517
00:28:05,384 --> 00:28:09,119
SUDDENLY THRUST UPWARD
ALMOST 100 MILES,
518
00:28:09,121 --> 00:28:11,855
PUNCHING THROUGH THE VERY TOP
OF THE HAZE LAYER?
519
00:28:11,857 --> 00:28:19,029
♪
520
00:28:19,031 --> 00:28:22,800
ASTRONOMER BRIGETTE HESMAN
USES THE CASSINI SPACE PROBE
521
00:28:22,802 --> 00:28:26,770
TO TRY AND UNLOCK THE MYSTERY
OF THE 30-YEAR STORMS.
522
00:28:26,772 --> 00:28:28,739
Hesman: WHEN WE LAUNCHED
CASSINI, WE HAD NO PLANS
523
00:28:28,741 --> 00:28:31,442
THAT WE WOULD EVER BE ABLE
TO STUDY ONE OF THESE STORMS,
524
00:28:31,444 --> 00:28:34,078
BECAUSE THE LAST STORM
THAT WE SAW ON SATURN
525
00:28:34,080 --> 00:28:35,312
WAS IN THE 1990s,
526
00:28:35,314 --> 00:28:37,247
WHICH PREDICTED
THAT THE NEXT STORM
527
00:28:37,249 --> 00:28:39,316
WE WOULD SEE WOULD BE
IN THE 2020s,
528
00:28:39,318 --> 00:28:42,920
AND CASSINI WOULD BE LONG GONE
BEFORE THEN.
529
00:28:42,922 --> 00:28:44,855
Narrator: BUT CASSINI IS
IN THE RIGHT PLACE
530
00:28:44,857 --> 00:28:46,423
AT THE RIGHT TIME
531
00:28:46,425 --> 00:28:49,426
WHEN THE NEXT GIANT STORM
STRIKES EARLY.
532
00:28:49,428 --> 00:28:52,463
♪
533
00:28:52,465 --> 00:28:55,232
BRIGETTE AND THE TEAM SCRAMBLE
TO GATHER AS MUCH DATA
534
00:28:55,234 --> 00:28:59,369
AS THEY CAN FROM
THIS RARE OPPORTUNITY.
535
00:28:59,371 --> 00:29:02,306
TODAY, SHE WORKS
WITH SOUND ENGINEER ED TATRO
536
00:29:02,308 --> 00:29:06,210
TO INVESTIGATE ONE PARTICULAR
PIECE OF DATA FROM CASSINI.
537
00:29:07,913 --> 00:29:10,948
[ CRACKLING SOUNDS ]
538
00:29:14,086 --> 00:29:17,387
Hesman: THIS IS THE SOUND
OF CRACKLING FROM SATURN,
539
00:29:17,389 --> 00:29:19,590
AND IT'S ACTUALLY
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING
540
00:29:19,592 --> 00:29:21,258
IN THE WATER CLOUDS.
541
00:29:21,260 --> 00:29:22,526
[ THUNDERCLAP ]
542
00:29:22,528 --> 00:29:24,928
Narrator: THIS CRACKLING IS FROM
THE BLUE LIGHTNING
543
00:29:24,930 --> 00:29:26,730
WITHIN THE GIANT STORM.
544
00:29:26,732 --> 00:29:29,032
[ CRACKLING SOUNDS CONTINUE ]
545
00:29:29,034 --> 00:29:33,704
CASSINI CAPTURES THE LIGHTNING
AS BURSTS OF RADIO WAVES.
546
00:29:33,706 --> 00:29:38,075
THE SHEER POWER OF THE STORM
IS BREATHTAKING.
547
00:29:38,077 --> 00:29:42,012
SLOWED DOWN, IT'S POSSIBLE
TO HEAR INDIVIDUAL BURSTS
548
00:29:42,014 --> 00:29:43,680
FROM THE STORM.
549
00:29:43,682 --> 00:29:46,717
[ CRACKLING SOUNDS CONTINUE ]
550
00:29:48,187 --> 00:29:52,723
10 GIANT BOLTS OF LIGHTNING
STRIKE EVERY SECOND.
551
00:29:52,725 --> 00:29:58,362
EACH STRIKE IS 10,000 TIMES MORE
POWERFUL THAN ANY HERE ON EARTH.
552
00:29:59,665 --> 00:30:02,099
IT'S ONE OF THE MOST
FEROCIOUS STORMS
553
00:30:02,101 --> 00:30:05,135
EVER RECORDED
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
554
00:30:05,137 --> 00:30:07,604
THE STORM RAGES FOR 6 MONTHS,
555
00:30:07,606 --> 00:30:11,975
RELEASING A DEVASTATING AMOUNT
OF ENERGY.
556
00:30:11,977 --> 00:30:13,944
Hesman: THINK ABOUT THE WORST
THUNDER OR LIGHTNING STORM
557
00:30:13,946 --> 00:30:16,346
THAT YOU'VE EVER BEEN IN
ON PLANET EARTH.
558
00:30:16,348 --> 00:30:18,849
YOU CAN HEAR THE THUNDER
AND LIGHTNING CLAPS,
559
00:30:18,851 --> 00:30:22,419
AND MULTIPLY THAT BY A FACTOR
OF 10,000 TIMES,
560
00:30:22,421 --> 00:30:23,921
AND IMAGINE HOW YOU WOULD FEEL
THAT YOU HAD
561
00:30:23,923 --> 00:30:27,791
NOWHERE YOU COULD GO
THAT WOULD BE SAFE.
562
00:30:27,793 --> 00:30:29,927
WE'D HAVE NOTHING LEFT
ON OUR PLANET.
563
00:30:31,330 --> 00:30:34,464
Narrator: BRIGETTE THINKS
THESE FEROCIOUS 30-YEAR STORMS
564
00:30:34,466 --> 00:30:37,100
REVEAL THERE MAY BE
SOMETHING VERY UNUSUAL
565
00:30:37,102 --> 00:30:40,804
ABOUT SATURN'S
INTERNAL STRUCTURE.
566
00:30:40,806 --> 00:30:43,340
THE STORMS BEHAVE LIKE
A PRESSURE VALVE
567
00:30:43,342 --> 00:30:48,412
TO SUDDENLY RELEASE ENERGY
BOTTLED UP INSIDE THE PLANET.
568
00:30:48,414 --> 00:30:51,281
SATURN IS KIND
OF LIKE A VOLCANO.
569
00:30:51,283 --> 00:30:54,885
THE PRESSURE BUILDS AND BUILDS
AND BUILDS AND BUILDS,
570
00:30:54,887 --> 00:30:58,288
AND THEN
IT EXPLODES SPECTACULARLY
571
00:30:58,290 --> 00:31:00,490
INTO THE ATMOSPHERE.
572
00:31:00,492 --> 00:31:03,227
Narrator: HIDING BENEATH
SATURN'S HAZE LAYER...
573
00:31:05,998 --> 00:31:08,599
...IS THE PLANET'S
CHURNING ATMOSPHERE.
574
00:31:10,769 --> 00:31:12,302
HEAT FROM THE CORE WARMS
575
00:31:12,304 --> 00:31:16,106
THE LOWER LEVELS
OF THIS STORM LAYER.
576
00:31:16,108 --> 00:31:19,843
THE HOT GASES CAN'T RISE UP
TO THE SURFACE,
577
00:31:19,845 --> 00:31:25,949
SO ENERGY BUILDS UP
UNTIL EVENTUALLY IT ERUPTS,
578
00:31:25,951 --> 00:31:31,321
SENDING THUNDERCLOUDS RACING
UPWARDS ALMOST 100 MILES,
579
00:31:31,323 --> 00:31:33,657
PUNCHING THROUGH THE HAZE LAYER
580
00:31:33,659 --> 00:31:37,628
AND BURSTING OUT
ONTO THE SURFACE,
581
00:31:37,630 --> 00:31:40,564
RELEASING 30 YEARS OF
PENT-UP ENERGY
582
00:31:40,566 --> 00:31:42,900
IN A SINGLE VIOLENT BURST.
583
00:31:42,902 --> 00:31:46,536
♪
584
00:31:46,538 --> 00:31:50,107
STUDYING THESE EPIC WEATHER
EVENTS IS REVOLUTIONIZING
585
00:31:50,109 --> 00:31:53,877
OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF THE GIANT PLANETS,
586
00:31:53,879 --> 00:31:56,546
KNOWLEDGE WE COULD APPLY
TO THE NEW WORLDS
587
00:31:56,548 --> 00:31:59,583
DISCOVERED OUTSIDE
OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
588
00:32:02,788 --> 00:32:04,955
EVERY STORM THAT WE OBSERVE
GIVES US A CLUE
589
00:32:04,957 --> 00:32:08,558
ABOUT HOW THAT PLANET WORKS,
590
00:32:08,560 --> 00:32:12,462
AND EACH PLANET
WORKS DIFFERENTLY.
591
00:32:12,464 --> 00:32:16,733
Narrator: MANY MYSTERIES
REMAIN UNSOLVED.
592
00:32:16,735 --> 00:32:20,604
WHAT WEIRD AND WONDERFUL WEATHER
LURKS EVEN FURTHER OUT
593
00:32:20,606 --> 00:32:25,175
IN THE REALM OF THE ICE GIANTS
URANUS AND NEPTUNE?
594
00:32:25,177 --> 00:32:27,678
AND ON NEPTUNE,
ARE GIANT DIAMONDS
595
00:32:27,680 --> 00:32:31,448
CAUSING THE STRONGEST WINDS
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM?
596
00:32:31,450 --> 00:32:38,655
♪
597
00:32:44,964 --> 00:32:50,367
♪
598
00:32:50,369 --> 00:32:53,236
Narrator: FAR OUT BEYOND
THE GAS GIANT PLANETS
599
00:32:53,238 --> 00:32:57,107
LIES THE FROZEN OUTER REALM
OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM,
600
00:32:57,109 --> 00:33:01,345
THE LAYER OF THE ICE GIANTS
URANUS AND NEPTUNE.
601
00:33:01,347 --> 00:33:03,013
TO ME, SOME OF
THE MOST AMAZING MYSTERIES
602
00:33:03,015 --> 00:33:05,582
STILL LEFT IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM
HAVE TO BE URANUS AND NEPTUNE,
603
00:33:05,584 --> 00:33:07,751
THE ICE GIANTS.
604
00:33:07,753 --> 00:33:10,387
Narrator: VOYAGER 2
IS THE ONLY SPACECRAFT
605
00:33:10,389 --> 00:33:12,823
TO EVER VISIT
THESE DISTANT PLANETS,
606
00:33:12,825 --> 00:33:16,960
FLASHING PAST IN THE LATE 1980s.
607
00:33:16,962 --> 00:33:22,299
IT SENDS BACK ASTONISHING IMAGES
OF THE ICE GIANTS.
608
00:33:22,301 --> 00:33:25,769
ASTRONOMERS EXPECT THERE TO BE
LITTLE WEATHER ON SHOW.
609
00:33:25,771 --> 00:33:27,871
Thaller: IT IS
VERY, VERY COLD OUT THERE.
610
00:33:27,873 --> 00:33:29,940
YOU WOULD THINK THE WEATHER
WOULD BE VERY CALM.
611
00:33:29,942 --> 00:33:31,475
THERE'S NO CONVECTION,
612
00:33:31,477 --> 00:33:33,944
THERE'S NO HEAT, NO ENERGY,
REALLY, TO GET ANYTHING GOING.
613
00:33:33,946 --> 00:33:36,980
Narrator: THESE VOYAGER IMAGES
OF URANUS DO INDEED
614
00:33:36,982 --> 00:33:40,384
SEEM TO SHOW A FRIGID WORLD
WITH NO WEATHER,
615
00:33:40,386 --> 00:33:43,587
BUT NEPTUNE SHOCKS EVERYONE.
616
00:33:43,589 --> 00:33:47,524
VOYAGER SEES A GIANT STORM
RAGING ON ITS SURFACE
617
00:33:47,526 --> 00:33:50,227
AND WINDS TEARING
THROUGH THE ATMOSPHERE
618
00:33:50,229 --> 00:33:53,196
AT OVER 1,000 MILES PER HOUR.
619
00:33:53,198 --> 00:33:54,564
IF YOU WERE TO GUESS,
620
00:33:54,566 --> 00:33:56,967
YOU WOULD THINK IT WOULD BE
A VERY CALM PLACE.
621
00:33:56,969 --> 00:34:00,604
BUT IN FACT, NEPTUNE HAS
THE FASTEST SPEED WINDS
622
00:34:00,606 --> 00:34:03,240
IN THE SOLAR SYSTEM.
623
00:34:03,242 --> 00:34:07,377
Narrator: WHAT DRIVES THESE
INCREDIBLE WINDS?
624
00:34:07,379 --> 00:34:10,847
AND WHAT SECRETS CAN THEY REVEAL
ABOUT THE INNER WORKINGS
625
00:34:10,849 --> 00:34:14,451
OF THE MOST DISTANT PLANET
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM?
626
00:34:14,453 --> 00:34:19,856
ASTROPHYSICIST DOMINIK KRAUS
BELIEVES THAT NEPTUNE'S WINDS
627
00:34:19,858 --> 00:34:23,226
ARE A TANTALIZING CLUE
TO AN ASTONISHING PROCESS
628
00:34:23,228 --> 00:34:26,196
HAPPENING DEEP WITHIN
THE PLANET,
629
00:34:26,198 --> 00:34:27,864
A COSMIC ALCHEMY
630
00:34:27,866 --> 00:34:30,767
THAT IS TRANSFORMING
NEPTUNE'S ATMOSPHERE
631
00:34:30,769 --> 00:34:34,571
INTO A PRECIOUS MINERAL,
WHICH CREATES EXTRA HEAT.
632
00:34:35,908 --> 00:34:38,909
THE KEY MAY LIE INSIDE NEPTUNE,
633
00:34:38,911 --> 00:34:41,144
SO THEY ARE
VERY EXOTIC CONDITIONS,
634
00:34:41,146 --> 00:34:44,981
WHICH MAY DRIVE SOME
REALLY INTERESTING CHEMISTRY.
635
00:34:44,983 --> 00:34:47,150
Narrator: TO TEST HIS THEORY,
DOMINIK COMES
636
00:34:47,152 --> 00:34:52,255
TO THE NATIONAL ACCELERATOR
LABORATORY IN CALIFORNIA.
637
00:34:52,257 --> 00:34:56,159
HERE, HE'LL USE POWERFUL LASERS
TO RECREATE CONDITIONS
638
00:34:56,161 --> 00:34:58,462
IN THE DEPTHS
OF NEPTUNE'S ATMOSPHERE.
639
00:34:58,464 --> 00:35:00,397
Kraus: DEEP INSIDE
THESE PLANETS,
640
00:35:00,399 --> 00:35:03,600
WE HAVE VERY HIGH PRESSURES
AND ALSO VERY HIGH TEMPERATURES
641
00:35:03,602 --> 00:35:05,702
WITH PRESSURES LIKE
5 MILLION TIMES
642
00:35:05,704 --> 00:35:08,238
OR EVEN 8 MILLION TIMES
THE ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
643
00:35:08,240 --> 00:35:10,140
WE HAVE HERE IN EARTH.
644
00:35:10,142 --> 00:35:12,742
Narrator: DOMINIK BELIEVES
THIS INTENSE HEAT AND PRESSURE
645
00:35:12,744 --> 00:35:15,912
TRANSFORMS THE ATMOSPHERE
INTO DIAMONDS.
646
00:35:18,217 --> 00:35:22,185
THESE DIAMONDS THEN INTERACT
WITH NEPTUNE'S ATMOSPHERE,
647
00:35:22,187 --> 00:35:26,323
CREATING HEAT THAT HELPS DRIVE
THE PLANET'S CRAZY WINDS.
648
00:35:27,793 --> 00:35:31,361
TO SIMULATE NEPTUNE'S CARBON
AND HYDROGEN-RICH ATMOSPHERE,
649
00:35:31,363 --> 00:35:35,465
HE USES A SURPRISING STAND-IN.
650
00:35:35,467 --> 00:35:38,034
Kraus: THIS IS A VERY SIMPLE
SAMPLE THAT WE USE.
651
00:35:38,036 --> 00:35:40,537
IT'S JUST PIECE OF PLASTIC,
SO IT'S POLYSTYRENE,
652
00:35:40,539 --> 00:35:42,139
SO THIS IS CARBON AND HYDROGEN
653
00:35:42,141 --> 00:35:46,209
AND NOTHING ELSE,
AS YOU FIND INSIDE NEPTUNE.
654
00:35:46,211 --> 00:35:49,045
Narrator: IT MAY SOUND STRANGE,
BUT PLASTIC IS
655
00:35:49,047 --> 00:35:53,016
THE PERFECT SUBSTITUTE
FOR NEPTUNE'S ATMOSPHERE.
656
00:35:53,018 --> 00:35:56,119
DOMINIK PLACES A TINY SAMPLE
OF THE PLASTIC
657
00:35:56,121 --> 00:35:59,189
INSIDE A GIANT REACTION CHAMBER.
658
00:35:59,191 --> 00:36:00,524
Kraus: AND YOU SEE
THE GREEN BRIGHT SPOT.
659
00:36:00,526 --> 00:36:02,325
WE PUT OUR SAMPLE HERE.
660
00:36:04,796 --> 00:36:07,164
Narrator: WITHIN THE CHAMBER,
POWERFUL LASER BEAMS
661
00:36:07,166 --> 00:36:10,133
WILL RECREATE THE INTENSE
PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE
662
00:36:10,135 --> 00:36:12,402
FOUND DEEP WITHIN NEPTUNE.
663
00:36:12,404 --> 00:36:14,737
TO MONITOR WHAT HAPPENS
TO THE PLASTIC
664
00:36:14,739 --> 00:36:16,806
DURING THE EXPERIMENT,
665
00:36:16,808 --> 00:36:21,011
DOMINIK WILL EXPOSE THE SAMPLE
TO A BEAM OF X-RAYS.
666
00:36:22,814 --> 00:36:24,614
THE INTERNAL STRUCTURE
OF THE PLASTIC
667
00:36:24,616 --> 00:36:28,852
SCATTERS THE X-RAYS
IN A PARTICULAR WAY.
668
00:36:28,854 --> 00:36:30,187
IT CREATES AN IMAGE
669
00:36:30,189 --> 00:36:34,024
WITH DISTINCT BANDS OF LIGHT
ACROSS IT.
670
00:36:34,026 --> 00:36:35,492
IF HIS THEORY IS RIGHT,
671
00:36:35,494 --> 00:36:37,861
AND THE PLASTIC DOES TURN
TO DIAMOND,
672
00:36:37,863 --> 00:36:40,330
THIS PATTERN SHOULD CHANGE.
673
00:36:42,634 --> 00:36:44,267
THREE...
674
00:36:44,269 --> 00:36:47,003
TWO...
675
00:36:47,005 --> 00:36:48,271
ONE.
676
00:36:49,541 --> 00:36:52,442
[ BEEP, WHIRS ]
677
00:36:52,444 --> 00:36:54,578
Narrator: THE EXACT MOMENT
THE LASER FIRES...
678
00:36:54,580 --> 00:36:56,246
[ BEEP, WHIRS ]
679
00:36:56,248 --> 00:36:58,982
...THE X-RAY PATTERN CHANGES.
680
00:36:58,984 --> 00:37:01,851
IT'S A PHENOMENAL RESULT.
681
00:37:01,853 --> 00:37:04,421
NOW WE DID NOT EXPECT THIS
TO HAPPEN,
682
00:37:04,423 --> 00:37:07,023
AND THIS CLARITY HERE, THAT YOU
CAN REALLY SEE THIS RING
683
00:37:07,025 --> 00:37:09,359
THAT SHARPLY IS REALLY STUNNING.
684
00:37:09,361 --> 00:37:10,961
SO THIS RING IS A REFLECTION
685
00:37:10,963 --> 00:37:13,663
FROM THE CRYSTAL PLANES
IN THE DIAMOND,
686
00:37:13,665 --> 00:37:16,032
SO IT HAS A UNIQUELY
IDENTIFIED DIAMOND
687
00:37:16,034 --> 00:37:18,268
AS THE CRYSTAL STRUCTURE.
688
00:37:18,270 --> 00:37:21,271
Narrator:
PRESSURE TRANSFORMS THE PLASTIC,
689
00:37:21,273 --> 00:37:22,806
CRUSHING THE CARBON TOGETHER...
690
00:37:22,808 --> 00:37:25,942
[ BEEP, WHIR ]
...TO FORM DIAMOND.
691
00:37:25,944 --> 00:37:29,012
♪
692
00:37:29,014 --> 00:37:31,014
DOMINIK'S EXPERIMENT PROVES
693
00:37:31,016 --> 00:37:34,084
THAT DIAMONDS CAN FORM
WITHIN NEPTUNE.
694
00:37:34,086 --> 00:37:37,420
BUT HOW DO THOSE DIAMONDS
GENERATE HEAT AND ENERGY
695
00:37:37,422 --> 00:37:40,457
TO FUEL THE PLANET'S
FEROCIOUS STORMS?
696
00:37:40,459 --> 00:37:46,263
♪
697
00:37:52,571 --> 00:37:57,707
♪
698
00:37:57,709 --> 00:37:59,876
Narrator: AT THE NATIONAL
ACCELERATOR LABORATORY
699
00:37:59,878 --> 00:38:01,444
IN CALIFORNIA,
700
00:38:01,446 --> 00:38:05,782
ASTROPHYSICIST DOMINIK KRAUS
RECREATES THE CONDITIONS
701
00:38:05,784 --> 00:38:08,718
DEEP INSIDE
NEPTUNE'S ATMOSPHERE.
702
00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:12,188
HE IS CONVINCED
NEPTUNE'S CARBON-RICH ATMOSPHERE
703
00:38:12,190 --> 00:38:15,925
CREATES DIAMONDS
ON AN INDUSTRIAL SCALE.
704
00:38:15,927 --> 00:38:19,663
BUT HOW DO THEY FUEL
THE PLANET'S FEROCIOUS STORMS?
705
00:38:21,500 --> 00:38:25,735
MORE THAN 6,000 MILES
BELOW NEPTUNE'S SURFACE STORMS,
706
00:38:25,737 --> 00:38:28,905
WITHIN AN OCEAN OF WATER
AND CARBON-RICH SLUSH,
707
00:38:28,907 --> 00:38:32,175
HUMAN-SIZED DIAMONDS
SPONTANEOUSLY FORM.
708
00:38:32,177 --> 00:38:36,346
♪
709
00:38:36,348 --> 00:38:38,148
THEY GENERATE HEAT
THROUGH FRICTION
710
00:38:38,150 --> 00:38:40,450
AS THEY PLUMMET DOWN
THROUGH THE OCEAN...
711
00:38:40,452 --> 00:38:43,520
♪
712
00:38:43,522 --> 00:38:45,922
...BEFORE COLLIDING WITH
THE PLANET'S CORE
713
00:38:45,924 --> 00:38:48,491
AND RELEASING YET MORE ENERGY.
714
00:38:48,493 --> 00:38:54,230
♪
715
00:38:54,232 --> 00:38:55,865
ALL THAT COMBINED HEAT
716
00:38:55,867 --> 00:38:59,369
COULD HELP SUPERCHARGE
NEPTUNE'S WINDS AND WEATHER.
717
00:39:01,473 --> 00:39:03,807
THESE DIAMONDS COULD BE
GENERATING HEAT,
718
00:39:03,809 --> 00:39:06,009
ENERGY THAT THEN RISES
TO THE SURFACE
719
00:39:06,011 --> 00:39:08,144
AND HELPS POWER
THE WEATHER THERE.
720
00:39:10,048 --> 00:39:11,848
Narrator: DIAMOND RAIN
721
00:39:11,850 --> 00:39:14,918
CREATING EPIC WEATHER --
722
00:39:14,920 --> 00:39:18,688
IT SOUNDS LIKE
AN EXTRAORDINARY CONCEPT.
723
00:39:18,690 --> 00:39:22,325
BUT DIAMOND RAIN MAY BE
INCREDIBLY COMMON,
724
00:39:22,327 --> 00:39:24,961
FALLING IN HUNDREDS OF BILLIONS
OF FROZEN WORLDS
725
00:39:24,963 --> 00:39:27,997
ACROSS THE GALAXY.
726
00:39:27,999 --> 00:39:29,332
Kraus:
PLANETS LIKE ICE GIANTS
727
00:39:29,334 --> 00:39:32,168
ARE VERY COMMON
IN OUR MILKY WAY GALAXY.
728
00:39:32,170 --> 00:39:35,071
WE SEE MORE AND MORE
OF THESE PLANETS APPEARING,
729
00:39:35,073 --> 00:39:37,307
SO IT'S VERY INTERESTING
TO UNDERSTAND
730
00:39:37,309 --> 00:39:41,578
HOW THESE PLANETS ARE FORMING,
HOW THEY FUNCTION ON THE INSIDE
731
00:39:41,580 --> 00:39:43,146
BECAUSE THEY'RE SO COMMON.
732
00:39:43,148 --> 00:39:46,249
♪
733
00:39:46,251 --> 00:39:49,652
Narrator: DOMINIK'S LAB-BASED
EXPERIMENTS ARE CRUCIAL,
734
00:39:49,654 --> 00:39:50,987
AS IT WILL BE MANY YEARS
735
00:39:50,989 --> 00:39:55,258
BEFORE ANY SPACE PROBE REACHES
URANUS OR NEPTUNE.
736
00:39:55,260 --> 00:39:56,860
Tremblay: IT'S ABOUT
A 5-YEAR CRUISE
737
00:39:56,862 --> 00:39:59,329
FOR OUR FASTEST SPACECRAFT
TO GET TO JUPITER
738
00:39:59,331 --> 00:40:02,665
AND MUCH, MUCH LONGER THAN THAT
TO GET TO NEPTUNE,
739
00:40:02,667 --> 00:40:04,901
AND SO THESE ARE
REALLY GRAND ADVENTURES
740
00:40:04,903 --> 00:40:07,370
THAT WE HAVE TO UNDERTAKE
IN ORDER TO VOYAGE
741
00:40:07,372 --> 00:40:09,706
TO THESE SYSTEMS
AND BETTER UNDERSTAND THEM
742
00:40:09,708 --> 00:40:12,575
FROM A CLOSE-UP VIEW.
743
00:40:12,577 --> 00:40:14,978
Narrator: BEFORE THEN,
ASTRONOMERS WILL GET
744
00:40:14,980 --> 00:40:17,981
A CLOSER LOOK
AT THESE DISTANT STORMS
745
00:40:17,983 --> 00:40:21,618
THANKS TO
THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE.
746
00:40:21,620 --> 00:40:24,921
THE JAMES WEBB
IS THE SUCCESSOR TO HUBBLE,
747
00:40:24,923 --> 00:40:26,222
AND FOR BRIGETTE HESMAN,
748
00:40:26,224 --> 00:40:28,191
THE TELESCOPE PROMISES
TO OPEN UP
749
00:40:28,193 --> 00:40:31,594
ONE OF THE LEAST EXPLORED
REGIONS OF OUR SOLAR SYSTEM.
750
00:40:31,596 --> 00:40:33,196
Hesman: URANUS AND NEPTUNE
ARE OUR OBJECTS
751
00:40:33,198 --> 00:40:35,165
THAT REALLY HAVEN'T
HAD SPACECRAFT
752
00:40:35,167 --> 00:40:38,067
THAT ARE DEDICATED
TO OBSERVATIONS OF THEM.
753
00:40:38,069 --> 00:40:40,737
JAMES WEBB IS
A VERY LARGE TELESCOPE,
754
00:40:40,739 --> 00:40:45,074
AND BECAUSE OF THAT, WE WILL BE
ABLE TO OBSERVE THESE OBJECTS
755
00:40:45,076 --> 00:40:47,877
IN WAY THAT
WE'VE NEVER DONE BEFORE.
756
00:40:47,879 --> 00:40:49,879
Narrator:
BRIGETTE HOPES THIS NEW INSIGHT
757
00:40:49,881 --> 00:40:52,215
WILL HELP ANSWER
THE MANY MYSTERIES
758
00:40:52,217 --> 00:40:55,084
THAT STILL SURROUND
THESE DISTANT PLANETS.
759
00:40:55,086 --> 00:40:56,886
Hesman: WE STILL
HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
760
00:40:56,888 --> 00:40:58,421
HOW WEATHER WORKS ON THEM.
761
00:40:58,423 --> 00:41:01,491
WE DON'T UNDERSTAND ALL
THE LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
762
00:41:01,493 --> 00:41:03,193
WE DON'T HAVE
A GOOD UNDERSTANDING
763
00:41:03,195 --> 00:41:05,795
OF THE WIND PATTERNS
ON THESE OBJECTS.
764
00:41:05,797 --> 00:41:07,864
THERE'S A LOT LEFT TO UNLOCK.
765
00:41:10,302 --> 00:41:12,368
Narrator:
AS WE CONTINUE TO EXPLORE
766
00:41:12,370 --> 00:41:15,004
THE FAR REACHES
OF THE SOLAR SYSTEM,
767
00:41:15,006 --> 00:41:18,908
WE DISCOVER EVERMORE
EXTRAORDINARY WEATHER,
768
00:41:18,910 --> 00:41:21,478
PHENOMENA THAT ARE SHOCKING
IN THEIR SCALE,
769
00:41:21,480 --> 00:41:26,115
FEROCITY, AND STRANGENESS.
770
00:41:26,117 --> 00:41:29,786
Plait: THE SOLAR SYSTEM
IS SO VARIED, SO DIVERSE --
771
00:41:29,788 --> 00:41:32,021
GIGANTIC STORMS ON JUPITER,
772
00:41:32,023 --> 00:41:35,058
CLUSTERS OF CYCLONES
AT BOTH POLES,
773
00:41:35,060 --> 00:41:37,393
A WEIRD HEXAGON
ON SATURN'S POLE,
774
00:41:37,395 --> 00:41:39,195
GIGANTIC STORMS THAT ERUPT OUT
775
00:41:39,197 --> 00:41:41,664
AND THEN WRAP ALL THE WAY
AROUND THE PLANET,
776
00:41:41,666 --> 00:41:44,667
NEPTUNE WITH
ITS INCREDIBLE WINDS.
777
00:41:44,669 --> 00:41:48,204
I DON'T EXPECT THE OUTER PLANETS
TO LOOK LIKE THE EARTH,
778
00:41:48,206 --> 00:41:50,607
BUT THEY'RE SO DIFFERENT.
779
00:41:50,609 --> 00:41:52,842
Narrator:
EACH STRANGE STORM WE DISCOVER
780
00:41:52,844 --> 00:41:57,580
TRANSFORMS OUR UNDERSTANDING
OF THESE GIANT PLANETS.
781
00:41:57,582 --> 00:41:59,082
EVERY TIME WE LOOK,
WE'RE SURPRISED.
782
00:41:59,084 --> 00:42:01,317
WE SEE SOMETHING DIFFERENT,
SOMETHING UNEXPECTED.
783
00:42:01,319 --> 00:42:05,522
SOMETHING CHANGES SUDDENLY THAT
WE JUST COULDN'T HAVE PREDICTED.
784
00:42:05,524 --> 00:42:07,524
Thaller: THERE ARE GIANT PLANETS
IN OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
785
00:42:07,526 --> 00:42:09,559
THAT WE'VE NEVER REALLY BEEN TO.
786
00:42:09,561 --> 00:42:13,496
WHAT MYSTERIES ARE THERE THAT
WE HAVEN'T EVEN IMAGINED YET?
787
00:42:13,498 --> 00:42:15,431
Narrator: WE HAVE BARELY
SCRATCHED THE SURFACE
788
00:42:15,433 --> 00:42:20,570
OF WHAT THESE INCREDIBLE STORMS
AND WILD WEATHER CAN REVEAL.
789
00:42:20,572 --> 00:42:22,672
THE ONLY THING WE KNOW FOR SURE
790
00:42:22,674 --> 00:42:25,842
IS THAT THERE ARE
MORE SURPRISES TO COME.
791
00:42:25,844 --> 00:42:28,611
♪