Cassini spacecraft images were used to create this animation of Saturn’s northern polar hexagon. Image via NASA/JPL-Caltech/SSI/Hampton University/ESA.
There's cool news about Saturn's north pole hexagon, which is as wide as 2 Earths – like nothing seen on any other world. The hexagon was thought to be a feature of the lower atmosphere, where Saturn’s weather happens. Now there’s evidence it extends to about 180 miles (300 km) above the cloudtops, into Saturn's stratosphere. Read more.
By closest, we don't mean close. Neptune, the 8th planet outward from the sun, lodges in the outskirts of our solar system, approximately 2.7 billion miles (4.3 billion km) away. Read more.
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The Cassini spacecraft used its wide-angle camera to capture this image of the ringed planet Saturn on April 2, 2014. You can see Saturn’s hexagon - an odd six-sided feature - surrounding its circular north polar vortex. Image via NASA. Read the news about Saturn's hexagon.
Haloes aren't uncommon, but this was a really beautiful display. Thanks to Martin Male, who captured it on Tuesday from Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, Canada. Which part is the halo, and which are the sundogs? Click in to learn the names.
