Remarkable 10-Sided Wave Pattern Discovered in Saturn's Atmosphere
By Editor • September 2, 2026 • 1 min read
In a stunning revelation, scientists have identified a massive 10-sided wave formation in the ammonia clouds over Saturn's south pole. This decagon is not only larger but also more dynamic than the well-known hexagon observed at the planet's north pole by NASA's Voyager missions in the 1980s.
The Spanish-led research team reported their findings on Wednesday after the Hubble Space Telescope captured images of this unusual phenomenon, which likely formed between 2017 and 2023 while Saturn’s south pole faced away from Earth.
One side of the decagon stretches over 10,000 miles (16,700 kilometers), and it continues to evolve, migrating east at a leisurely pace of 6 mph (10 kph). Lead author Agustin Sanchez-Lavega from the University of the Basque Country noted that this discovery challenges the notion that the hexagon was singularly unique.
Saturn is the only planet known to exhibit such polygonal wave patterns. The study, which involved measuring winds in the decagon using the Very Large Telescope in Chile, aims to deepen our understanding of the atmospheric dynamics of gas giants. Sanchez-Lavega expressed hopes that future observations will shed light on this intriguing atmospheric enigma.
Source: www.independent.co.uk
#atmosphere #decagon #hexagon #Hubble Space Telescope #Saturn
