The Answer:
Yes. That oval spot is called the "Great Red Spot."
Believe it or not, that "spot" is actually a giant storm that
rotates counter-clockwise and is big enough to hold two Earths. Scientists think the
red color is caused by impurities in the planet's atmosphere
constantly absorbing ultraviolet and violet light, such as sulfur or
phosphorus.
The Great Red Spot is quite a mystery. Nobody is sure how long
the storm has been going on. All we know is that the spot has been
visible since the day we first built a telescope strong enough to see
Jupiter in the 17th
century.
Here is a link to pictures of
Jupiter, including the Great Red Spot. You can learn more
about our solar system at our Astronomy channel.
—The Editors
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