Saturn's South Pole Reveals Mysterious Decagon-Shaped Atmospheric Wave
Researchers from the University of the Basque Country, led by Agustín Sánchez-Lavega, have identified a decagon at Saturn's south pole, as reported in Science Advances. This ten-sided shape is associated with a significant atmospheric wave within a jet stream, which was initially observed by amateur astronomers Trevor Barry and Jean-Paul Oger in 2024. The Hubble Space Telescope later validated the existence of this structure, first noted in 2023. The decagon is believed to have developed between 2017 and 2023, a period when Saturn's south pole was obscured from Earth's view. In contrast to the north pole's hexagonal jet stream, the decagon is intensifying. The research team plans to keep observing Saturn for further changes.
Key facts
- A decagon-shaped atmospheric wave has been discovered around Saturn's south pole.
- The discovery was published in Science Advances on September 3, 2026.
- Lead author Agustín Sánchez-Lavega is a planetary scientist at the University of the Basque Country in Spain.
- Amateur astronomers Trevor Barry and Jean-Paul Oger spotted the wave in 2024 in images from the Planetary Virtual Observatory Laboratory.
- The decagon was confirmed with observations from the Hubble Space Telescope.
- Hubble had captured the decagon as early as 2023, but its formation date is unknown, estimated between 2017 and 2023.
- Saturn's south pole was not visible from Earth between 2012 and 2023 due to the planet's axial tilt.
- The decagon is distinct from the hexagonal jet stream at Saturn's north pole, discovered by Voyager over 40 years ago.
- The decagon is growing in strength, according to co-author Amy Simon of NASA.
- The cause of the decagon's angular shape is unknown, possibly related to latitude, wind structure, or a high-pressure vortex.
Entities
Artists
- Agustín Sánchez-Lavega
- Trevor Barry
- Jean-Paul Oger
- Wanying Kang
- Amy Simon
Institutions
- University of the Basque Country
- Planetary Virtual Observatory Laboratory
- Hubble Space Telescope
- European Space Agency
- NASA
- MIT
- Science Advances
- Science Alert
- Associated Press
- New Scientist
- Science News
- Cassini spacecraft
- Voyager spacecraft
Locations
- Saturn
- Spain
- United States