How long has Jupiter’s Great Red Spot been observed?

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photo of Jupiter taken by Voyager 1 — Jupiter Photograph of Jupiter taken by Voyager 1 on February 1, 1979, at a range of 32.7 million km (20.3 million miles). Prominent are the planet's pastel-shaded cloud bands and Great Red Spot (lower centre).

The Great Red Spot on Jupiter has been continuously observed since 1878.1

While this marks the period of continuous observation, the feature may be the same as the "Permanent Spot" discovered by Gian Domenico Cassini in 1665, which was last seen in 1713. Additionally, the first recorded drawing of the "Hollow" in which the spot sits was made by Samuel Heinrich Schwabe in 1831.1