The stunning planet resembling a blue gas giant – Neptune – has recently been “unveiled” through the latest images from NASA.
A team of scientists led by Dr. Imke de Pater, an honorary professor of astronomy at the University of California, Berkeley (USA), examined data that NASA captured of Neptune from 1994 to 2022 and discovered something unusual: Since 2019, the cloud coverage at mid-latitudes has begun to fade.
Currently, this blue gas giant has changed significantly, with some clouds completely disappearing.
Neptune looks very different over time – (Photo: NASA).
Determined to delve deeper into this surprising phenomenon, they identified a daunting culprit: the Sun, and its 11-year cycle, which is causing various disturbances on Earth.
According to Space, this research has shown that not only worlds close to us, but the Sun is also powerful enough to cause significant disruptions to distant planets like Neptune.
Its 11-year cycle includes periods of low activity and phases of intense activity, like the one we are currently experiencing.
This intense activity is continuously bombarding Earth’s magnetosphere with high-energy solar flares, leading to geomagnetic storms.
For Neptune, the most significant impact comes from the transitional moments of the Sun, which generate higher-than-normal ultraviolet radiation.
This radiation permeates star systems, affecting several planets with unique atmospheres, one of which is Neptune.
The photochemical reactions during periods of high ultraviolet radiation created the dense cloud cover that NASA observed on the planet. Over time, these clouds have gradually faded, awaiting another transitional phase to become thick again.
Currently, the Sun is approaching the peak of its cycle. Once it reaches its peak – potentially in 2025 or sooner – the Sun will reverse its magnetic poles and transition into a “calm” phase. At that point, geomagnetic storms will lessen on Earth, while Neptune may again be enveloped in clouds.
With more clouds, this blue world will appear brighter due to the increased reflection from the cloud cover.
This explains why the planet appeared very bright in observations made in 2002, dimmed in 2007, shone brightly again in 2015, and is currently appearing very dim.
