1. It Is A Six-Sided Jet Stream
The most famous feature of the storm is its shape. It is a remarkably stable, six-sided jet stream located at Saturn's north pole, at a latitude of about 78 degrees. First discovered during the Voyager flybys in the early 1980s, this hexagonal pattern
has fascinated scientists for decades. Each of the six sides is approximately 14,500 kilometres long, making them longer than the entire diameter of Earth. The entire structure is about 29,000 kilometres wide. Unlike hurricanes on Earth that drift and dissipate, this hexagonal jet stream remains largely fixed in place, rotating at nearly the same speed as the planet itself. This incredible stability points to deep atmospheric forces at play, creating a weather pattern unlike anything found in our own world.
2. The Storm Is A Towering Structure
This isn't just a surface-level pattern; it's a colossal, three-dimensional structure. Initially observed in the cloud tops, data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft revealed that the hexagon extends deep into Saturn's atmosphere. Studies have shown the feature exists as a towering vortex that reaches some 300 kilometres (about 180-190 miles) from the cloud tops up into the stratosphere, a higher layer of the atmosphere. Scientists were surprised to find a second hexagon in the stratosphere that mirrored the one below. This suggests the entire structure is a single, unified entity, with forces in the lower atmosphere influencing the layers high above. This vertical layering helps scientists understand how energy moves through the atmosphere of a gas giant.
3. A Polar Hurricane Rages At Its Center
At the very heart of the larger hexagon is another, more familiar-looking storm: a massive hurricane-like vortex. This central storm is locked within the polar region, spinning at the planet's axis. Its eye alone is about 50 times larger than the eye of a typical hurricane on Earth. The winds within this polar vortex are incredibly powerful, moving at speeds far greater than those found in Earth's strongest storms. This central cyclone and the surrounding hexagonal jet stream create a complex and dynamic weather system. The hexagon itself acts as a kind of atmospheric barrier, influencing the flow of haze and other particles into the polar region.
4. It Changes Color With The Seasons
One of the most visually striking discoveries about the hexagon is that its color changes with Saturn's long seasons. Each season on Saturn lasts for more than seven Earth years. When the Cassini spacecraft observed the north pole as it moved from its winter into its summer, the storm's hue shifted dramatically. In 2013, the interior of the hexagon had a distinct blueish color, but by 2017, it had transformed into a hazy, golden-yellow. Scientists believe this is caused by an increase in sunlight hitting the pole during its summer. This solar radiation triggers chemical reactions that create smog-like particles, or hazes, which give the atmosphere its golden tone. During the dark polar winter, these hazes clear out, allowing the deeper blue hues to become visible.
5. A New Decagon Has Appeared In The South
For decades, the northern hexagon was considered a unique phenomenon in the solar system. Scientists searched for a similar structure at Saturn's south pole but found none. However, very recent observations from the Hubble Space Telescope in 2023 and 2024 have revealed a new surprise: a 10-sided polygon, or decagon, is now forming in the southern hemisphere. This southern decagon is a recent development and appears to be strengthening. While it shares some similarities with the northern hexagon as a polygonal jet stream wave, it is located at a different latitude and has a different number of sides. This discovery shows how dynamic and changeable Saturn's atmosphere can be and proves that the northern hexagon is not as singular a feature as once believed.
