Hubble tracks new decagon encircling Saturn's south pole
Recent observations with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have revealed a giant, evolving, 10-sided atmospheric wave encircling Saturn's south pole.
Recent observations with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have revealed a giant, evolving, 10-sided atmospheric wave encircling Saturn's south pole.
The short version
- This discovery marks the first time a large, regular-sided jet pattern has been observed in the planet's southern hemisphere.
- The feature appears remarkably similar to Saturn's famous hexagon at its north pole but is also distinctly different, suggesting scientists may be witnessing a new atmospheric phenomenon developing on the iconic gas giant.
- This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies .
What happened
Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Recent observations with NASA's Hubble Space Telescope have revealed a giant, evolving, 10-sided atmospheric wave encircling Saturn's south pole. The results are published today in the journal Science Advances .
Why it matters
By piecing together several years of Hubble observations dating to 2023, researchers found subtle hints of the structure beginning to emerge before it became a clearly defined pattern.
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