MV Astronomy Club

wild weather

by carol higgins

Weather conditions in the Mohawk Valley during March can swing wildly, and the proverb “in like a lion, out like a lamb” is fitting because of a seasonal change on March 20. That’s when winter technically ends and spring begins. A search through regional records shows impressive temperature ranges and snowstorms. Record-breakers include a cold spell that dropped the temperature to -27 degrees Fahrenheit in 1950 and a toasty high of 86°F in 1945. Snowstorm Stella dumped 33 inches of snow in March 2017. But our weather is mild compared to other places in our solar system where wild weather is the norm. Let’s visit some of them.

We begin at Mercury, a rocky planet with a very slow spin rate and egg-shaped orbit. It takes 1,408 hours to make one rotation. During those long days, temperatures can reach 800°F on the Sun-facing side and a chilly -290°F on the night side. However, its next-door neighbor has the record as the hottest planet.

Venus is also rocky and has a very thick atmosphere comprised mostly of carbon dioxide (often called greenhouse gas) that traps heat. Its clouds release a rain of sulfuric acid, a corrosive ingredient used in automobile batteries. Temperatures reach about 900°F on the surface, hot enough to melt lead.

Beyond Earth is Mars, where reddish-colored dust on its rocky surface contributes to unique storms. Every day winds create dust devils that move the dust around, and dust storms are common. Occasionally one will grow and envelop the entire planet, a process that scientists don’t understand. In 2018, a week-long global dust storm was so intense it blocked sunlight and covered Jupiter’s volcanic moon Io. the solar panels on NASA’s Opportuni- Image credit: NASA/JPL/University of Arizona Hanny’s Voorwerp. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, W. Keel, Galaxy Zoo Teamty rover. It prevented the batteries from charging and ended the mission.

Next is Jupiter and its most well- ing too. Titan has a thick atmosphere, known feature. The Great Red Spot is a clouds and rain, and rivers and lakes on gigantic swirling storm, almost twice the its surface. But that liquid isn’t water, it size of Earth with winds over 400 mph. is methane, ethane, and other hydrocarOne of Jupiter’s 79 moons is quite active bons. Scientists believe there is an untoo. The moon Io is the most active vol- derground ocean of water, and Titan may canic world in the Solar System. It has support some form of life. over 400 volcanoes, with over 100 erupt- If you enjoy supersonic winds, ice giing at the same time. They spew materi- ant Neptune is the place to go. Its atmoals like sulfur dioxide hundreds of miles sphere is mainly hydrogen, helium, and into space and send molten rock flowing methane, and winds reaching 1,200 mph into lava lakes. Jupiter’s strong gravity send its clouds of frozen methane zoomflexes Io’s surface, causing it to rise and ing across the planet. Storms also form, fall up to 330 feet. If you take a look at and astronomers sometimes use the HubJupiter and its 4 brightest moons through ble Space Telescope to track them. In a telescope, Io is one of those moons. August 2020 one of those storms abrupt-

Saturn sports a weird weather system ly changed direction and left everyone in the atmosphere above the north pole. perplexed. It is a huge hexagon almost 20,000 miles As we head back to Earth I am reacross, with a spinning hurricane at its minded of the famous line in The Wizcenter and 300 mph winds. Scientists are ard of Oz movie, “There’s no place like having a difficult time explaining its odd home”. How true! shape and the forces that drive it. The Wishing you clear skies and good weather on one of its moons is interest- health! •

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