Astronomers Spot an Uncannily Geometric, 10-Sided Structure in Saturn’s Atmosphere
Saturn keeps forming polygons.
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Astronomers have identified a striking 10-sided atmospheric structure encircling Saturn’s south pole, adding to the planet’s collection of unusual geometric weather phenomena. The discovery, led by researcher Agustín Sánchez-Lavega from the University of the Basque Country, reveals that Saturn’s famous hexagonal storm at the north pole may not be as unique as previously believed. The newly detected decagon exists as a vast wave system embedded within the gas giant’s atmospheric layers, moving at approximately 10 kilometers per hour along one of the planet’s powerful jet streams.
The decagon’s existence remained hidden from scientific observation until 2024, when amateur astronomers captured images showing the structure’s outline around the southern polar region. Subsequent analysis of Hubble Space Telescope data traced the formation back to 2023, despite earlier observations from both Hubble and the Cassini spacecraft showing no evidence of such a feature. This contrasts sharply with the north polar hexagon, which has remained visible and stable since its discovery during the Voyager missions in 1980.
The two polygonal structures differ in several ways beyond their side counts. The decagon sits at a lower latitude than the hexagon and appears less stable, having only recently formed. Researchers suspect that a nearby high-pressure storm system may be influencing the decagon’s development, though computer simulations have yet to fully explain its formation. These findings suggest that Saturn’s atmosphere possesses inherent conditions favoring the creation of polygonal wave patterns in both hemispheres.
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Originally reported by Sciencealert →
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