Stormy planets

[robina_williams]

Are there any planets, outside our solar system, with spectacular lightning storms, please? I'm looking for a planet with some really good lightning displays. Thank you.

 

[docm]

<i><b>Outside</b></i> our solar system? I'm sure there are but none have been imaged, yet.<br /><br />In our system lightning has been detected on Earth (natch), Venus, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.<br /><br />Example of Jovian lightning;<br /><br />http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap970512.html<br /><br />Given that many of the extra-solar planets are gas giants many times the size of Jupiter lightning storms there should be doozies. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[robina_williams]

Thank you. I'll have to think again then. Well, how about lightning on some of the moons in the solar system? The planets in the solar system are a no-no for my present purpose.

 

[3488]

Hi there. <br /><br />Seeing as there are a number of supposed Hot Jupiters, lightning should be very common in extra solar systems.<br /><br />Regarding moons in our own Solar System, Huygens listened out for & the Cassini orbiter too for lightning in the atmosphere of the giant moon Titan (Saturn's largest & the second largest & second most massive moon after Jupiter's Ganymede, in the solar system). However none have as yet been detected. Whilst Titan does have convection clouds, akin to Methane Cumulonimbus, lightning does not appear to be generated. It has been suggested that lightning could be generated in the volcanic plumes of the large Jupiter moon Io, but as yet, this remains unproven.<br /><br />Saturn itself, yes, & extremely powerful too. Neptune too has very powerful lightning. Uranus less so, but still has powerful lightning. Jupiter is the king of lightning in our solar system. The Earth obviously has.<br /><br />Venus, the jury is still out. Mariner 10, on route to Mercury, Pioneer Venus orbiter & the Galileo spacecraft on route to Jupiter were thought to have detected it. However, the Saturn bound Cassini / Huygens spacecraft, ESA Venus Express & the Mercury bound MESSENGER have failed to detect any what so ever.<br /><br />Perhaps with Venus, it is linked to volcanic activity. On Earth volcanic plumes often produce lightning, Mt ST Helens in Washington, USA & the Mt Pinatubo volcano on Luzon Island in the Philippines, being good examples. Perhaps this is true on Venus!!<br /><br />Below: Galileo Orbiter images of gigantic lightning displays & thunderstorms in the atmosphere of Jupiter.<br /><br />Andrew Brown.<br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#000080">"I suddenly noticed an anomaly to the left of Io, just off the rim of that world. It was extremely large with respect to the overall size of Io and crescent shaped. It seemed unbelievable that something that big had not been visible before".</font> <em><strong><font color="#000000">Linda Morabito </font></strong><font color="#800000">on discovering that the Jupiter moon Io was volcanically active. Friday 9th March 1979.</font></em></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://www.launchphotography.com/</font><br /><br /><font size="1" color="#000080">http://anthmartian.googlepages.com/thisislandearth</font></p><p><font size="1" color="#000080">http://web.me.com/meridianijournal</font></p> </div>

 

[centsworth_II]

What would really be spectacular would be lightning that shot from one planet <br />to another, or from a planet to one of it's moons. This phenomenon must occur <br />somewhere in the universe, or even our own galaxy. I wonder if there is some <br />physical law that would make this unlikely. <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[vogon13]

There are electrical effects on Io, but I don't know if they would be construed as 'lightning' or if those effects do manifest themselves from time to time as something we would recognize as lightning.<br /><br /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p><font color="#ff0000"><strong>TPTB went to Dallas and all I got was Plucked !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#339966"><strong>So many people, so few recipes !!</strong></font></p><p><font color="#0000ff"><strong>Let's clean up this stinkhole !!</strong></font> </p> </div>

 

[blazincajun]

I don't know if that is possible but I would love to see that!!! <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>

 

[robina_williams]

Thank you, Andrew, for your very comprehensive reply, and also for posting the graphic. The lightning caused by volcanic plumes is promising.<br /><br />And centsworth_II, what a great idea: lightning shooting from planet to planet, or from a planet to its moon. That would be so spectacular.<br /><br />I've gotten myself a bit stuck. I need some really spectacular lightning effects (scientifically feasible), but I don't want to mention the names of our planets in the solar system. <br /><br />Thanks for all your help -- it's appreciated.<br />

 

[docm]

Spectacular discharges happen right here on Earth in the form of sprites, jets and elves....AKA megalightning. <br /><br />Quicktime video: http://quicktime.oit.duke.edu/news/sprites.mp4<br /><br />Wikipedia page.... <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> </div>