Date: 27 Jun 2006
Satellite: Venus Express
Depicts: Sequence of VIRTIS observations of Venus southern hemisphere
Copyright: ESA/VIRTIS/INAF-IASF/Obs. de Paris-LESIA

This movie is composed of six sequences of false-colour images taken by the Ultraviolet/Visible/Near-Infrared spectrometer (VIRTIS) between 12 and 19 April 2006 during the capture orbit around Venus.

The sequences (taken at 5 μm) were obtained during six different time slots and at different distances from Venus:

• 12 April: from 210 000 kilometres
• 13 April: from 280 000 kilometres
• 14 April, from 315 000 kilometres
• 16 April: from 315 000 kilometres
• 17 April: from 270 000 kilometres
• 19 April: from 190 000 kilometres

Around the South Pole it is possible to see a peculiar double-eye vortex structure, never clearly seen by any other Venusian mission before. This movie shows the rotation and the shape variation of the double vortex over time. It is also possible to see the rotation of the terminator: the day side is visible in yellow and the night side is blue.

The images also show the presence of a collar of cold air around the vortex structure (dark blue), possibly due to the recycling of cold air downwards.