In the color-enhanced image of Jupiter and Io, the cloudy edges of the Red Spot contain more ammonia haze than the clearer center, according to scientists with NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Io, the nearest large inner moon, is visible to the lower left. The whites and reds on the moon's surface indicate the presence of sulfurous substances. The blacks reveal silicate rocks. Io has more than 100 active volcanoes spewing hot lava and giant plumes of gas and dust.
Bright clouds are higher in the jovian atmosphere.
In the short video, compiled in October, some small clouds brighten quickly, which possibly indicates powerful upward currents, like those in thunderstorms on Earth. While near Jupiter, Cassini is conducting studies of the planet's atmosphere, rings and magnetic field in tandem with NASA's Galileo probe, which has orbited Jupiter for more than five years. Pages will open in a new browser window External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you.