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Scientists find 10-sided wave pattern swirling in the clouds over Saturn's south pole
ABC News - Breaking News, Latest News and Videos • • science
Key Points:
- Scientists have discovered a large, 10-sided wave pattern, or decagon, in the ammonia clouds over Saturn’s south pole, which appears larger and more unstable than the well-known hexagon at Saturn’s north pole.
- The decagon was first observed by the Hubble Space Telescope in 2023 and is believed to have formed between 2017 and 2023 when the south pole was not visible from Earth.
- Unlike the nearly stationary hexagon, the decagon moves eastward at about 6 mph (10 kph) and has sides exceeding 10,000 miles (16,700 kilometers) in length.
- This discovery challenges the notion that Saturn’s hexagon is unique, offering new insights into atmospheric phenomena on giant gas planets and possibly linking to similar polygonal cyclone patterns on Jupiter.
- Researchers hope that improved observations of Saturn’s southern hemisphere in coming years will provide more details about the decagon’s nature and longevity, which remains uncertain compared to the decades-old hexagon.
