Scientists Find a Huge 10-Sided Wave Pattern Swirling in the Clouds over Saturn's South Pole
Amateur astronomers and Hubble images confirmed the feature, which appears to be a vertically extended jet stream moving at up to 400 kilometers per hour.
- On Wednesday, researchers announced the discovery of a 10-sided atmospheric wave, or decagon, circling Saturn's south pole, marking the first time such a large, regular-sided jet pattern has been observed in the planet's southern hemisphere.
- This new feature mirrors the famous hexagonal wave at Saturn's north pole, which has persisted for over 40 years; the south pole's tilt away from Earth prevented observations until recently.
- Lead author Agustin Sanchez-Lavega of the University of the Basque Country credited amateur astronomers alongside Hubble Space Telescope data in identifying the decagon, which moves at roughly 10 kilometers per hour within a jet stream reaching 400 kilometers per hour.
- Comparing these two polar formations allows scientists to better understand atmospheric dynamics on gas giants. Researchers are analyzing whether the decagon is a stable structure or a transient phenomenon driven by atmospheric disturbances.
- Future observations by the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes will determine if the decagon evolves into a robust feature or dissipates. Unlike the stationary northern hexagon, the decagon's vertices shift, raising questions about its long-term stability.
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Bilbao (Spain), 2 Sep (EFE).- A team of Spanish researchers discovered in the clouds of the southern hemisphere of Saturn a structure in the form of decagon, in front of the already known hexagonal formation found in its north pole, thanks to a study supported by the images obtained by the Hubble telescope and a wide network of [...] La entrada Discover a structure in the form of decagon in the clouds of Saturn was first published in HolaNews.
Scientists find a huge 10-sided wave pattern swirling in the clouds ov
This photo provided by NASA/ESA/A. Sánchez-Lavega (Basque Country University) shows a pattern of clouds around the Saturn's south pole on Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026. (NASA/ESA/A. Sánchez-Lavega, Basque Country University, EHU, via AP)
The Toronto Star
Scientists find a huge 10-sided wave pattern swirling in the clouds over Saturn’s south pole
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Scientists have discovered an enormous 10-sided wave pattern in the icy ammonia clouds over Saturn’s south pole.
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