Saturn's Hexagon

[ZERO]

http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2007-034

Fascinating.

Magnetic?

[Matt]

Magnetic?

Nah, ancient sacred geometry

[Cuddles]

Magnetic?

Probably convection, that has a habit of making hexagons. Although it's unsual for it to remain stable for so long.

[ZERO]

Probably convection, that has a habit of making hexagons. Although it's unsual for it to remain stable for so long.

Yes, in such a fast moving atmosphere it is surprisingly stable.
I never expected a geometric pattern in gas. How do you think convection could produce this?

[Cuddles]

Something like this: http://www.newscientist.com/article/...g-problem.html

Fluid dynamics and heat flow is pretty complex stuff. I don't really know much about the details, but convection often produces regular geometric patterns. Hexagonal and circular ones are most common, but all kinds of funny shapes can appear. Try pouring a thin layer of cream on the surface of Tia Maria and watch what happens.

[ZERO]

Thank you for the link.
Sorry if I'm being a bit thick, but there is something I don't quite follow.

I can understand how a group of packed cells can form hexagons at their boundaries but the Saturn feature is free to form a circle. Can convection form a single shape in isolation?

[ZERO]

Nah, ancient sacred geometry

[Cuddles]

Thank you for the link.
Sorry if I'm being a bit thick, but there is something I don't quite follow.

I can understand how a group of packed cells can form hexagons at their boundaries but the Saturn feature is free to form a circle. Can convection form a single shape in isolation?

To be honest, I don't really know much about fluid mechanics and heat flow. That said, the Saturn hexagon isn't really in isolation, it's still part of the planet. Gas giant's have bands in their atmosphere which all rotate at different speeds. It could be possible that instead of having lots of little convection cells, the polar hexagon forms one and the whole of the surrounding band forms its neighbour.

Of course, it could be something else entirely, but given that convection certainly can form shapes like that and I don't know anything else that can, it seems the most likely explanation.

[Julia]

Very odd. And considering that the article was published in March last year I'm amazed that the UFO nuts haven't made more of it.

[ZERO]

Very odd. And considering that the article was published in March last year I'm amazed that the UFO nuts haven't made more of it.

I think it's a good example of the fact there is enough mystery and wonder in the universe without having to make things up.