• A reminder that Forum Moderator applications are currently still open! If you're interested in joining an active team of moderators for one of the biggest Pokémon forums on the internet, click here for info.
  • Due to the recent changes with Twitter's API, it is no longer possible for Bulbagarden forum users to login via their Twitter account. If you signed up to Bulbagarden via Twitter and do not have another way to login, please contact us here with your Twitter username so that we can get you sorted.

Bizarre hexagon circles Saturn's north pole

Status
Not open for further replies.
Barb

Barb

Java Girl
Retired Staff
Joined
Jan 30, 2003
Messages
6,014
Reaction score
13
Pronouns
  1. She/Her
"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."

Full article here.
 
That's pretty crazy cool. I don't know what else to really say about it, but I really do wonder what causes it. It actually makes me wonder what is in the storm in the south pole even more. Its just amazing to for me to think of a pentagon occurring naturally, especially in this form
 
Amusingly enough, the pic that Argy linked to showed up on the thread on Fark.com discussing this article.
 
I think this phenomenon may have already been explained through geometric shapes forming in vortices of water.

http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060515/full/060515-17.html

In the best way that I can think of it, essentially, if there is a centripetal acceleration spinning the object fast enough, the water will retreat into a practical form to maintain surface tension. I'm sure once the water molecules are sped up, the flow of molecules begin to follow paths which from a macroscopic point of view, looks more like a recognizable shape.

Similarly, gases may be able to follow the same dynamic. The rotation of Saturn is at such a velocity that the clouds at that pole are able to follow this geometric pattern and thus the Hexagon appears.

Though, the article does admit that no conclusions may be drawn that this is in fact the case with Saturn, I still think that the cases are related.
 
Last edited:
Well, Saturn is the fastest rotating planet, isn't it?

Now I wonder if they've looked at the poles of the other three gas giants...
 
I know this is kinda off topic, but what exactly is the storm on Jupiter?
And how come it hasn't settled down yet?
 
Great Red Spot of Jupiter. Nice, brief summary. I'm sure SOMEONE here can summarize the entire thing, but it's been WAY too long since I've been in an astronomy class (or near anyone with any interest in astronomy) to fully remember what it is.

And, of course, Wikipedia has a nice, long, detailed article on it.
 
The astronomy book I own describes it as "a vast, hurricane-like storm" several times the size of Earth. It moves around Jupiter, dragged by the planet's high-speed rotation, and eats smaller storms that it passes.
 
GrnMarvl13 said:
Great Red Spot of Jupiter. Nice, brief summary. I'm sure SOMEONE here can summarize the entire thing, but it's been WAY too long since I've been in an astronomy class (or near anyone with any interest in astronomy) to fully remember what it is.

And, of course, Wikipedia has a nice, long, detailed article on it.
Click to expand...
That seems intense.
High pressure centre sounds kinda weird. Anybody know how that works? xP
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top Bottom