Small Dark Spot facts for kids

The Small Dark Spot was a huge swirling storm on the planet Neptune. People also called it Dark Spot 2 or The Wizard's Eye. It was located in the southern part of Neptune.

This storm was the second strongest storm seen on Neptune in 1989. That year, the Voyager 2 spacecraft flew past the planet. Voyager 2 was a robotic probe sent from Earth to explore the outer planets.

When scientists first saw the Small Dark Spot, it looked like a dark, spinning storm. As Voyager 2 got closer to Neptune, a bright cloud appeared in the center of the storm. This made it look a bit like an eye. The Small Dark Spot disappeared by 1994.

Images for kids

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  The Great Dark Spot (at the top), the Scooter (the white cloud in the middle), and the Small Dark Spot (at the bottom).

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  A close-up view of the Small Dark Spot from 1989.

See also

In Spanish: Pequeña Mancha Oscura de Neptuno para niños