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Astronomy Picture of the Day - Hubble: Decagon Around Saturn's South Pole
NASA ^ | 8 Sep, 2026 | Image Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, HST; A. Sánchez-Lavega (UPV), A. Simon (NASA-GSFC), M. Wong (UC Berk

Posted on 09/08/2026 11:18:45 AM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: Why are Saturn’s poles geometric? Saturn’s North Pole has been known to be surrounded by a hexagonal (6 sides) cloud since discovery in 1987 in data taken by NASA’s Voyager spacecrafts, which quickly flew past the ringed world in the early 1980s. Now, recent observations of Saturn by the Hubble Space Telescope reveal a slightly different geometric cloud pattern around the South Pole: a decagon (10 sides). The geometric boundaries are possibly caused by waves when the fast-moving gas away from the poles interacts with slower-moving gas closer to the poles. In the featured image composite by the Hubble taken last year, the South Pole of Saturn is marked by an X and surrounded by bands of circulating clouds. The decagon appears most prominent in the dark inner regions. The northern hexagon has proven stable for over 40 years, while the stability of the southern decagon will surely remain a topic of research.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 09/08/2026 11:18:46 AM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 09/08/2026 11:19:39 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

3 posted on 09/08/2026 11:19:53 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 31R1O; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

4 posted on 09/08/2026 11:21:12 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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Sorry for the duplicate image posts. I clicked “Post” and waited, and waited and nothing happened. Hit post again and waited and waited, then both turned up.


5 posted on 09/08/2026 11:23:24 AM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

FR is sloooooow today for some reason.......


6 posted on 09/08/2026 11:57:20 AM PDT by Red Badger (Iryna Zarutska, May 22, 2002 Kyiv, Ukraine – August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina Say her name)
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To: Red Badger
FR is sloooooow today for some reason.......

Denial of service attacks ahead of elections?

7 posted on 09/08/2026 12:10:37 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Pretty impressive for a big ball of gas! ;)


8 posted on 09/08/2026 12:14:04 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have, 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust Post-Apocalyptic skill set.)
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To: Diana in Wisconsin

It may have a taller gear for forward than for reverse.


9 posted on 09/08/2026 12:17:43 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Yes, it’s happened before..........


10 posted on 09/08/2026 12:29:35 PM PDT by Red Badger (Iryna Zarutska, May 22, 2002 Kyiv, Ukraine – August 22, 2025 Charlotte, North Carolina Say her name)
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To: MtnClimber

Rossby Wave


11 posted on 09/08/2026 12:32:00 PM PDT by takebackaustin
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To: MtnClimber

From earth orbiting Hubble? I’d like to see the geometry of that photo.


12 posted on 09/08/2026 12:36:42 PM PDT by PfromHoGro (Orwell was optimistic.)
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To: MtnClimber

Composite image.


13 posted on 09/08/2026 12:38:16 PM PDT by PfromHoGro (Orwell was optimistic.)
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To: MtnClimber

Wow.


14 posted on 09/08/2026 1:44:23 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: Red Badger

Yes, and I hope they fix it soon.


15 posted on 09/08/2026 1:45:03 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as )
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To: MtnClimber

I noticed the slowness….who knows what it is…


16 posted on 09/08/2026 1:48:55 PM PDT by telescope115 (Ad Astra, Ad Deum…)
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