NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has spotted a huge evolving decagon circling Saturn's south pole. The discovery published in Science Advances marks the first time a large regularly shaped jet pattern has been observed in Saturn's southern hemisphere. The structure bears resemblance to Saturn's famous northern hexagon but appears to have formed only in recent years. Researchers using Hubble's OPAL program traced its development back to 2023. Amateur astronomers first flagged the feature in 2024 ground-based images. Scientists do not yet know what triggered the decagon or whether it will persist.
NASA Hubble Spots Giant 10-Sided Pattern on Saturn
A huge decagon has appeared around Saturn's south pole, Hubble data reveal. Published in Science Advances, it is the first such pattern seen in the southern hemisphere.
Key Takeaways
- A huge decagon has appeared around Saturn's south pole, Hubble data reveal.
- Published in Science Advances, it is the first such pattern seen in the southern hemisphere.
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