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Images: Mysterious hexagon spotted on Saturn

Tags: spacecraft, NASA, pole, Web site development, Web technology, INTERNET

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Shape on Saturn
A strange hexagon shape over the north pole of Saturn was first spotted by the two Voyager spacecraft and has been revisited by the Cassini probe. The long duration between sightings indicate it is likely a permanent feature according to NASA scientists. In fact, Cassini found a second hexagon, significantly darker than the orginal. This is the first time the feature has been captured on one image.

On NASA's Web site, Kevin Baines, atmospheric expert and member of Cassini's visual and infrared mapping spectrometer team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said, "Saturn's thick atmosphere where circularly-shaped waves and convective cells dominate is perhaps the last place you'd expect to see such a six-sided geometric figure, yet there it is."

This image was captured at night. The red color indicates heat generated from the planet's interior.

       

Print/View all Posts Comments on this gallery

Edited by moderatorgururapid@...  | 03/29/07
Speaking of MonkeysJsego  | 03/30/07
apirrythefoooNOW LEFT TR  | 03/30/07
its okShellbot  | 03/30/07
WellNOW LEFT TR  | 03/30/07
lolDownRightTired  | 03/30/07
i thinkShellbot  | 03/30/07
I've seen bunnies in cloudsjreinb7777  | 03/30/07
Freaking CoolITGuyy  | 03/31/07
Red hexagons today, black monoliths tomorrow?Palmetto  | 03/29/07
Arthur C ClarkeSalmanassar  | 03/30/07
Sorry, wrong planetMikeBytes@...  | 03/30/07
Not according to the bookcoderancher  | 03/30/07
I'm sorry...Mark W. Kaelin Techrepublic | 03/30/07
At what costBommer  | 03/30/07
Free of charge progressalxnsc@...  | 03/30/07
...and you call yourself a techie...jnunamaker@...  | 03/30/07
finding that hexagon didnt help me.DownRightTired  | 03/30/07
You fail to see what is learned from this don't you?DanLM  | 03/30/07
Reality check for Mr Bommer...cameron.duffy@...  | 04/01/07
AwesomeBommer  | 03/30/07
Homo SapiensSalmanassar  | 03/30/07
GEICO.com has some insurance for you.Palmetto  | 03/30/07
I have toDumphrey  | 03/30/07
go back to rubbing two sticks togetherDanLM  | 03/30/07
ReallyTony Hopkinson  | 03/30/07
Interesting...jtuper@...  | 03/30/07
Funny how most of you couldn't care less...NOW LEFT TR  | 03/30/07
agree somewhatDownRightTired  | 03/30/07
Tang...shardeth  | 03/30/07
Chuckle, microwavesDanLM  | 03/30/07
THE PENiainwrig@...  | 03/30/07
Supergluelmunday@...  | 04/13/07
What the space program has given usDanLM  | 03/30/07
Who Caresiainwrig@...  | 03/30/07
chuckle, glad you qualifiedDanLM  | 03/30/07
Missing the most obvious benefitruisert@...  | 04/02/07
the eye of the beholderrobinsys  | 03/30/07
Just a pattern?Jsego  | 03/30/07
yeah what it it was the letter "A"chris jablonski  | 03/30/07
SpirographSteve PDX  | 03/31/07
PossiblyJsego  | 04/01/07
It's the bloody Fithp againneilb@...  | 03/30/07
Polygons, you can make them at homeMichael Jay  | 04/01/07
Geometry unsurprisingcameron.duffy@...  | 04/01/07
Magnetic Flux?jc williams  | 04/02/07
It is not magneticMichael Jay  | 04/02/07

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