Question

question #2
why do the \great dark spot\ and \scooter\ appear to change over long periods of time when viewed from earth?
they are giant storms that change slowly over time as the seasons change.
the rotation of neptune causes the spots to \disappear\ from view for years at a time.
gravity from triton distorts the light around these areas.
the otherwise-invisible rings of neptune lie between us and these features, hiding them for long periods.

Explanation:

The Great Dark Spot and Scooter are atmospheric features on Neptune. As giant storms, they evolve slowly over time due to Neptune's seasonal changes (driven by its orbital tilt and varying solar radiation) and internal atmospheric dynamics, leading to observable long-term changes from Earth.

Answer:

They are giant storms that change slowly over time as the seasons change.