South polar dipole movie – different view

This video is composed of a set of images acquired by the Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer (VIRTIS) on board ESA’s Venus Express, during two observations slots in August 2007. The spacecraft was flying at about 65 000 km distance from the planet.

The video was obtained at 3.8-micrometre wavelength, allowing the instrument to see the cloud top thermal emission at an altitude of about 60-65 km. The south polar dipole, a complex atmospheric vortex-like feature situated over the south pole of the planet, can be clearly seen.

The change of the polar vortex shape in a time scale of a few hours is remarkably noticeable here.