Does Saturn really have a hexagon?
Saturn’s hexagon is a persistent approximately hexagonal cloud pattern around the north pole of the planet Saturn, located at about 78°N. The sides of the hexagon are about 14,500 km (9,000 mi) long, which is about 2,000 km (1,200 mi) longer than the diameter of Earth.
What causes the hexagon on Saturn?
The model the researchers created suggests the storm is thousands of kilometers deep, well beneath Saturn’s cloud tops. When these mix at the top it forms the unexpected shape, and because the storms form deep within the planet, the scientists said it makes the hexagon furious and persistent.
What is the giant hexagon on Saturn?
“Saturn’s Hexagon” is a swirling maelstrom at the planet’s north pole that, as its name implies, has an odd, hexagonal shape. The hexagon is an ever-present cloud pattern that “stands” as tall as an enormous, whirling tower on the planet.
How big is the hexagonal vortex?
The biggest of these vortices, seen near the lower right corner of the hexagon and appearing whitish, spans about 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers), approximately twice the size of the largest hurricane on Earth.
Does it rain diamonds on Saturn?
New research by scientists apparently shows that it rains diamonds on Jupiter and Saturn. According to the research lightning storms on the planets turn methane into soot which hardens into chunks of graphite and then diamonds as it falls.
Why did Galileo think Saturn was 3 planets?
To Galileo’s surprise, Saturn wasn’t just one planet, but three! A big middle planet with a small planet or moon on each side, and the three were almost touching. Galileo drew it like this: Other astronomers, whose telescopes were not as good as Galileo’s, saw a single oval planet.
Does Mars have a hexagon?
Mars is also covered in sand dunes, much like those in earthly deserts. NASA’s Mars Odyssey orbiter recently took photos of a dune field that – unlike any dune field seen on Earth – has a strange-looking, roughly hexagonal shape. It’s not a perfect hexagon, but close enough to make you take notice.
What are some of the discoveries made by the Cassini Huygens probe?
The Huygens probe makes first landing on a moon in the outer solar system (Titan)
Can you land on Saturn?
Surface. As a gas giant, Saturn doesn’t have a true surface. The planet is mostly swirling gases and liquids deeper down. While a spacecraft would have nowhere to land on Saturn, it wouldn’t be able to fly through unscathed either.
Can humans live on Alpha Centauri?
Alpha Centauri, the closest star system to Earth, is just 4 light-years away. So before even diving into the specifics of the system or its planets, no, humans can not yet go to Alpha Centauri and live there because, simply put, we wouldn’t survive the trip. The Alpha Centauri system actually has three stars.
Which planet has most diamonds?
For centuries, astronomers have been fascinated by Saturn. After all, she has been hailed as the precious jewel of our solar system, one of the most beautiful planets. And while her rings have mesmerised us for centuries, it is even more amazing to realise that it quite literally rains diamonds out there!
Who first saw rings of Saturn?
Galileo GalileiRings of Saturn / Discoverer
When did Cassini take the picture of Saturn’s hexagon?
In late 2012, Cassini began making swings over Saturn’s poles, giving it better views of the hexagon. The eight frames of the movie were captured over 10 hours on Dec.10, 2012. Each of the eight frames consists of 16 map-projected images (four per color filter, and four filters per frame) so the movie combines data from 128 images total.
Why can’t we see the hexagon at Saturn’s North Pole?
High-resolution views of the hexagon have only recently become possible because of the changing of the seasons at Saturn and changes in the Cassini spacecraft’s orbit. The north pole was dark when Cassini first arrived in July 2004.
When did Cassini see the North Pole of Saturn?
The north pole was dark when Cassini first arrived in July 2004. The sun really only began to illuminate the entire interior of the hexagon in August 2009, with the start of northern spring. In late 2012, Cassini began making swings over Saturn’s poles, giving it better views of the hexagon.
What is Saturn’s hexagon-shaped jet stream?
This movie from Cassini, made possible only as Saturn’s north pole emerged from winter darkness, shows new details of a jet stream that follows a hexagon-shaped path and has long puzzled scientists. The hexagon was hidden in darkness during the winter of Saturn’s long year, a year that is equal to about 29 Earth years.