Jupiter looks like it’s wearing zebra stripes. Bands of clouds that run parallel to the equator alternate between bright and dark – zebra stripes. Each one is thousands of miles wide.

The stripes are a result of Jupiter’s composition and its rotation. It’s basically a ball of gas – it’s made almost entirely of hydrogen and helium. And even though it’s 11 times the diameter of Earth, it spins on its axis in less than 10 hours. That forces the clouds that top its atmosphere into bands that stretch from east to west.

The bands alternate between belts and zones. The belts are darker – probably because they allow us to see deeper into the atmosphere.

The zones are topped by the highest clouds. The clouds are made of frozen ammonia, which looks bright white. The belts don’t have that layer. Instead, we’re seeing clouds in the next layer down. Those clouds are made of water and other compounds, which are darker.

The stripes are flanked by jet streams that blow in alternating directions. They can roar at hundreds of miles per hour. They keep the belts and zones separated – maintaining the zebra stripes on this giant planet.

Jupiter is at its best this week. It’s in view all night, and it shines brightest for the year. It looks like a brilliant star. It’s low in the eastern sky in early evening, and climbs high across the sky later on. The stripes are easily visible through just about any telescope.

Script by Damond Benningfield