Posted by Robin Leadbeater at 19:04 on 2014 Jan 10
Hi Mike,While Uranus does show more intense Methane absorption bands than Jupiter, I am wondering if in this case the difference is being exaggerated by some effect which has reduced the contrast in the Jupiter spectrum. (The H beta absorption band, from the reflected sunlight, is also significantly weaker in the Jupiter spectrum whereas it would be expected to be of similar intensity.) Perhaps the larger angular size of Jupiter (which determines the resolution in a slitless spectrum) is playing a part here?Robin