Way back in 1989, we got our first good look at the planet Neptune when the Voyager 2 spacecraft did a quick reconnaissance flyby. Far from being a bland world like sister ice giant Uranus, Neptune was a bit more interesting. For one thing, it showed some interesting features called “dark spots” which turned out to be Neptune’s dark storms. There were other features in the upper atmosphere, but the Dark Spot and Dark Spot 2 really grabbed people’s attention. A few years later, Hubble Space Telescope took its first peek at the planet. By then, the storms had disappeared.

What happened? That’s a question planetary scientists have focused on ever since the flyby. And, since that time, several other similar types of features have come and gone in the Neptunian atmosphere. Hubble has been tracking those storms through a project called the Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program, in an effort to give more insight into these features.

These days there’s a relatively new storm in Neptune town, and it’s been around since at least 2018. That’s when Hubble took another look and found it. It was high in the northern hemisphere, and typical of such storms, it began drifting southward. In the past, when storms drift south, they tend to disappear. This latest storm could span the Atlantic Ocean if it occurred here on Earth.

Neptune’s Dark Storm Formation

What are these storms? They’re called dark vortices and are high-pressure systems that form, usually in the mid-latitudes. After a while, they drift toward the equatorial regions and start to lose stability. That’s because the Coriolis effect weakens the storm. Depending on the size and strength of the storm, it can withstand that effect for a while. Eventually, the storm just disintegrates. Storms that don’t end up in the equatorial region “kill zone” can remain stable for quite a while. Most of the storms that have been observed on Neptune follow the path to destruction. However, this latest one seems to be resisting the siren call of the equator.

Neptune’s Dark Storm Changes Course

This storm is acting differently. Instead of staying on a course south, it has turned back northwards. And, there’s another storm in the same general region. Is it a new storm? Or, did the 2018 storm spin off a clone? Those are the questions planetary scientists are looking to answer as they study this latest development.

It’s possible that as these storms head south toward dissolution, they tend to fragment and dissolve over time. Observers haven’t actually seen these disruptions in real time, so these two features give them a chance to see something happening more or less “in action” in the Neptunian atmosphere.

The mystery of how these storm features form still hasn’t been solved. Nor do planetary scientists have a strong feel for the structure of the storms. They ask “why are they ‘dark’?” It could be that there are high-altitude dark cloud layers. If that’s the case, then their existence could give a good insight into the vertical (top-to-bottom) structure of the storm itself. Perhaps there’s a more complex atmospheric chemistry answer. In any case, long-term studies, where the telescope studies the planets as often as possible, are the best way to understand the ephemeral nature of Neptune’s storms.

About this time each year, I start to get emails about what to give somebody who’s “into space” for a holiday gift. Of course, I always recommend books, which are a great way to learn about astronomy and space exploration. So, think about a favorite book YOU enjoyed about space or astronomy, and see if that is still available. Or, browse around the stacks at your favorite bookshop. I recently got a review copy of David Dickinson’s Backyard Astronomer’s Field Guide. It’s a really nicely put-together book for just about any observer. It’s well-written, and is wire-bound to lay flat if you have it with you outside during an observing session. I certainly enjoyed reading it and you or your loved one will, too.

I also got a review copy of a book called 100 Things to See in the Night Sky. It’s by Cincinnati Observatory astronomer Dean Regas. It is what it says on the tin, a guide to a hundred objects you can search out and explore in the sky. It comes with easy to understand explanations about the objects, and also talks about constellations, satellites, meteors, and meteor showers. The book has four sections for the seasons and then goes into detail about other objects.

Also not to be missed is Leonard David’s book called Moon Rush: The New Space Race. With today’s news about various lunar missions, this book is pretty timely. It gives a good look at what’s at stake for the exploration of our nearest neighbor in space.

Leonard’s an old friend and experienced skygazer, as well. He’s a long-time space science writer who was also one of the leads at the National Space Society and has covered nearly every space initiative around the world.

My Own Space Books!

Of course, I have a few books out there, as well. My Astronomy 101 book is doing well and is a perennial favorite. It has 55 chapters (short ones!), each readable in an hour or less. I’ve heard that a lot of teachers use it as a second book in their classes, and I’ve also gotten very nice notes from people who simply like to use it as a way to learn more about astronomy.

My latest book is called The Discovery of the Universe and it came out in the U.S. just as the shutdowns started to happen due to the pandemic. It’s really about observatories and the discoveries in astronomy that they have enabled since — well, really since the dawn of time. There are thousands of observatories around the world, ranging from high-tech professional facilities to simple backyard-type viewing platforms. Some of the facilities I wrote about don’t even look like our preconception of an observatory, such as the IceCube detector array in Antarctica. The book’s full of looks at places like that, and as your humble writer, I’d love it if you got a few copies for yourself and your loved ones to read while you’re still social distancing.

The other book I’ve written recently is called Space Exploration: Past, Present, and Future. It is just what it says on the cover—an exploration of space exploration. It’s written for the folks who want to know a little more about the rockets that keep going up to the Moon and beyond. It begins with a history of the technologies that contributed to our space programs today and includes chapters on space education, outreach, and other space-related cultural activities.

Gifting Astronomy Gear

Every year, I get questions about telescopes or binoculars. I always say the same thing: find out what the person you’re gifting this to wants to observe! If they’re mainly interested in deep-sky objects (nebulae, galaxies, etc.), that’s going to guide your decision. If they just want to do planets, that will also send you in the correct direction. If they want to scan the skies and learn constellations, a good pair of binoculars will do the trick.

Next, don’t cheap out on the purchase. A lot of people will head straight for the cheap department-store scopes or binoculars because, well, they’re cheap. I’ve often heard parents say, “I don’t want to spend a lot of money on something that might end up in the closet.”

That’s understandable. If it’s going to be a problem, then maybe the young person they’re buying for is too young or not quite mature enough to handle the responsibility of a scope. In those cases, I’ve often recommended binoculars. You can do quite a LOT of stargazing with those. In fact, that’s pretty much all I use these days. (Yes, I’m lusting after a telescope, but am saving up for a really good one.) So, consider a good pair of binoculars, which will probably cost about $100 or so, and look around for those labeled “7 × 50” or “10 × 50”. Anything larger is too difficult to hold steady and you’d need a tripod with a special mounting bracket for binoculars.

Get a Sturdy Gift

If you DO go for a scope, make sure it has a good mount and tripod. There’s nothing more disappointing than a scope on a spindly tripod that won’t even hold the weight of the instrument. And, whatever you do, avoid the department-store scopes. Go to a good camera shop, or go online to places that deal ONLY in telescopes. If you know someone with a scope or know of a local astronomy club, ask them for advice.

At the low end, you can expect to pay under $500 for a good telescope. Astronomers Without Borders is a charitable organization that has a couple of decent beginner scopes for sale under that price. Check them out. And, if you want in-depth information about telescopes. check out Sky & Telescope’s good article about picking out telescopes. It covers a lot of what you need to know.

Accessories for the Stargazer

Of course, there’s also a wealth of accessories you can buy for the stargazer. That includes everything from star wheels and software to warm-weather gear. I’ve always liked those little pocket hand warmers for cold observing nights. A flashlight with a red filter is also a welcome piece of kit. Why red? When you’re out observing, your eyes get dark-adapted. If you turn on a flashlight without a filter, that blasts the dark adaptation. For most folks, it takes 10-30 minutes to get fully dark-adapted. So, a red flashlight is a good choice, too.

Stargazing is, at its heart, a chance to look at the same stars our parents, grandparents, and their grandparents did, and so on back through the generations. The stars you and I see tonight haven’t changed a great deal since the first people began looking at the night sky in a quest for understanding. And, people around the world share the sky. So, not only is it a great gift, it’s a continuation of humanity’s heritage among the stars.

Don’t Forget to Look Up!

This year, without as much of the hustle and bustle of holiday parties and shopping, many of us are staying home or close to home. Sometimes the simplest gift is one of time and access. Take your loved ones out for a good stargazing session. For that, all you have to do is step outside and look up. Sometimes it’s less about the equipment and all the other accouterments, and more about the time you spend with those you care about in life. Here’s an easy sight to get you started; I wrote a blog entry a few years ago about the most obvious sky sight in all our skies—Orion the Hunter. It’s in a part of the sky that contains many gorgeous sights. So, when you get a moment, go out and check it out. It’s absolutely free and will give you a much-needed gift of beauty.