60 SOME OF THE MARKINGS OX JUPITER. 



to these movements, and the former has contributed a special 

 paper on the subject, which has been published in the monthly 

 notices of the R.A.S. It has also formed a feature of the work 

 of the Jupiter section of the B.A.A. 



The North Equatorial belt is similar to the South, as it is 

 duplex, though of a less marked character. Many dark and light 

 spots are also on its surface, having varying motions ; but this 

 belt is subject to occasional shrinkage, so that sometimes it 

 loses its duplex aspect. A few years since it was comparatively 

 thin, and was almost featureless. It is much wider and more 

 active now. This evidently shows there are latitudinal as well as 

 longitudinal movements in it. In the light band to the north of 

 this belt there have been several remarkable dark spots with very 

 rapid inherent motion, one or two of which were very persistent, 

 being under careful observation for successive apparitions. 



The two thinner belts north and south of the equatorial belts 

 are called the North and South Temperate belts, and, as a rule, 

 possess fewer striking features, though sometimes they are 

 duplex, and are covered with light and dark markings of a less 

 pronounced character. Some years since, however, the South 

 Temperate belt had an elongated dark marking, which continued 

 for several months ; it was a dense and striking feature for a time, 

 and was the subject of careful observation by several expert 

 Jovian students. It was just south of the great red spot ; few, if 

 any, traces of it are now left. There are two other belts north 

 and south of the Temperate belts called respectively North- 

 North and South-South Temperate belts. They are generally 

 much fainter than the Temperate belts, though this may be the 

 result of position on the curved surface of that portion of the 

 globe of Jupiter ; dark spots are occasionally seen on them. 

 Leo Brenner, in his exquisite drawings, shows some of the spots. 



North and south of these named belts are what are so-called 

 the Polar regions of the planet, and are frequently encircled by 

 faint belts giving that portion of the planet a ringed appearance. 

 Owing to position, they are rarely the subjects of observation, 

 though sometimes a cloudy and somewhat indefinite marking is 



