Sometimes there are striking colour changes too. There are many 'spots' circulations and storms, which reveal the numerous currents in the atmosphere. They range from the Great Red Spot, which has existed for three centuries, to turbulent disturbances which may change dramatically within a few days. Although our reports are now based mainly on CCD images, visual observers still have a chance of spotting new phenomena. In addition, visual observers can monitor the major events on the planet independently, and we will continue to publish visual records of the planet along with the analysis of images.
Standard nomenclature is given in the references below.
This change is to make our reports compatible with e-mail. We will continue to use longitude System II for non-equatorial latitudes, rather than System III which is used by professionals. However we will give data for conversion to System III in all reports, and will be happy to have images reported in both systems. Beginners should try the following methods of observation, so that they can make useful records if they ever see anything unexpected on the planet. For more detailed advice, see the references below.