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Experts Puzzled By Bright Spot On Venus

Posted by Soulskill on from the who-is-throwing-things-at-our-planets dept.

Hugh Pickens writes "BBC reports that astronomers are puzzled by a strange bright spot which has appeared in the clouds of Venus, first identified by US amateur astronomer Frank Melillo on 19 July and later confirmed by the European Space Agency's Venus Express spacecraft. 'I have seen bright spots before but this one is an exceptionally bright and quite intense area,' says Melillo. The bright spot has started to expand since its first appearance, being spread by winds in Venus' thick atmosphere. Scientists are unsure as to what is causing the spot. 'An eruption would have to be quite energetic to get a cloud this high,' said Dr. Sanjay Limaye of the University of Wisconsin. Furthermore, at a latitude of 50 degrees south, the spot lies outside the region of known volcanoes on Venus. Another potential source for the bright spot are charged particles from the Sun interacting with Venus' atmosphere. It's also possible that atmospheric turbulence may have caused bright material to become concentrated in one area. 'Right now, I think it's anybody's guess,' adds Limaye."

12 of 107 comments (clear)

  1. Isn't it obvious? by millennial · · Score: 5, Funny

    They're coming...

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    I am scientifically inaccurate.
    1. Re:Isn't it obvious? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      All over Venus? Man, that must be one hell of an ejaculation.

  2. Cosmic omens... by TimHunter · · Score: 5, Funny
    1. Mysterious bright spot on Venus
    2. Scar on Jupiter http://science.slashdot.org/story/09/07/25/1457245/Hubble-Photographs-Jupiters-New-Scar?art_pos=2/
    3. Unexplained high tides http://www.newsobserver.com/news/health_science/story/1620869.html/

    I don't know about you guys but I'm expecting the space aliens to show up any minute.

    1. Re:Cosmic omens... by Ihmhi · · Score: 5, Funny

      The most disturbing thing of all is that if the aliens did show up, the first thing many Slashdotters would do is come back to your comment and change the moderation so it appears as "Insightful".

      --
      Random Thoughts From A Diseased Mind (Not For Dummies)
    2. Re:Cosmic omens... by cardsinhand · · Score: 3, Funny

      Super Saiyans are just battling again. No big deal.

    3. Re:Cosmic omens... by physburn · · Score: 2, Funny
      Its not an omen, it just that Venus has developed Jupiter envy.

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      Astronomy Feed @ Feed Distiiler

  3. Global warming? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Looks like this is more evidence of global warming.

  4. Alien DARPA by tsa · · Score: 2, Funny

    Looks like a test of the Venetian DARPA to me. We can expect our Venetian Overlords to arrive soon!

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    -- Cheers!

    1. Re:Alien DARPA by Thing+1 · · Score: 2, Funny

      I for one welcome our blind overlords.

      --
      I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
  5. It's igniting by koan · · Score: 2, Funny

    We get a second sun.

    --
    "If any question why we died, Tell them because our fathers lied."
    1. Re:It's igniting by bar-agent · · Score: 2, Funny

      We get a second sun.

      Yay!

      Oh, wait. That's bad, isn't it?

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      i'd hit it so hard, if you pulled me out you'd be the king of britain [bash.org]
  6. Re:There is spacecraft in orbit around Venus. by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 4, Funny

    Shed more light on an already bright spot? Wouldn't that burn out the cams?

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    Ezekiel 23:20