Why does Saturn have a hexagon at its pole?
Why does Saturn have a hexagon at its pole?
These storms very likely swirl deep within planet and the storms’ convection funnels and “pinches” the atmospheric flows, confining it to the top of Saturn into a hexagonal shape. “The hexagonal flow pattern on Saturn is a striking example of turbulent self-organization,” the researchers wrote in their paper.
Which planet has a hexagonal pole?
planet Saturn
Saturn’s hexagon is a persistent approximately hexagonal cloud pattern around the north pole of the planet Saturn, located at about 78°N. The sides of the hexagon are about 14,500 km (9,000 mi) long, which is about 2,000 km (1,200 mi) longer than the diameter of Earth.
What did Cassini find at the North Pole Saturn?
The long-lived international Cassini mission has revealed a surprising feature emerging at Saturn’s northern pole as it nears summertime: a warming, high-altitude vortex with a hexagonal shape, akin to the famous hexagon seen deeper down in Saturn’s clouds.
What strange feature is seen at Saturn’s north pole?
Bizarre hexagon
Bizarre hexagon circles Saturn’s north pole. A deep, hexagon-shaped feature lies above Saturn’s north pole, newly released images from the Cassini spacecraft reveal. The strange structure appears to be nearly stationary and may be a wave that stretches deep into the giant planet’s atmosphere.
What causes Saturn to flatten at poles?
Saturn rotates about once every 10.5 hours. The planet’s high-speed spin causes Saturn to bulge at its equator and flatten at its poles.
Which planet has mysteriously hexagonal and high speed storm?
Saturn’s
One of Saturn’s mysteries involves the massive storm in the shape of a hexagon at its north pole.
How long does it take for Cassini to reach Saturn?
Cassini–Huygens
| COSPAR ID | 1997-061A |
| SATCAT no. | 25008 |
| Website | NASA ESA ASI |
| Mission duration | Overall: 19 years, 335 days 13 years, 76 days at Saturn En route: 6 years, 261 days Prime mission: 3 years Extended missions: Equinox: 2 years, 62 days Solstice: 6 years, 205 days Finale: 4 months, 24 days |
| Spacecraft properties |
|---|
Is Saturn’s hexagon a hurricane?
Scientists can see the motion of a wide variety of cloud structures that reside within the hexagon in this movie. There is a massive hurricane tightly centered on the north pole, with an eye about 50 times larger than the average hurricane eye on Earth.
What is the hexagon around Saturn’s North Pole?
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has obtained the highest-resolution movie yet of a unique six-sided jet stream, known as the hexagon, around Saturn’s north pole. NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has obtained the highest-resolution movie yet of a unique six-sided jet stream, known as the hexagon, around Saturn’s north pole.
When did Cassini see the North Pole of Saturn?
The north pole was dark when Cassini first arrived in July 2004. The sun really only began to illuminate the entire interior of the hexagon in August 2009, with the start of northern spring. In late 2012, Cassini began making swings over Saturn’s poles, giving it better views of the hexagon.
Is there a second hexagon on Cassini?
NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft imaged the feature over two decades ago. The fact that it has appeared in Cassini images indicates that it is a long-lived feature. A second hexagon, significantly darker than the brighter historical feature, is also visible in the Cassini pictures.
What is Saturn’s hexagon-shaped jet stream called?
This colorful view from NASA’s Cassini mission is the highest-resolution view of the unique six-sided jet stream at Saturn’s north pole known as “the hexagon.”
