The Hubble Space Telescope has observed a large, evolving atmospheric phenomenon – a decagon – surrounding Saturn’s south pole. The wave appears to have begun forming in 2023 and is strengthening, offering scientists a rare opportunity to study the development of a giant atmospheric pattern.
Amy Simon, a senior scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, stated, “The question is, why did it suddenly form now when we haven't seen one before?” Simon also noted the contrast with Saturn’s northern hexagon, which has been observed for over 40 years. “The northern hexagon has been there every time we've looked for more than 40 years. This feature is different — it appears to be strengthening, giving us the rare opportunity to watch a giant atmospheric pattern develop.”
The decagon extends through multiple atmospheric layers and is located within a large jet stream. Initial signs of the decagonal shape were first spotted in 2024 by ground-based observatories, and later confirmed with high-resolution images from Hubble. Agustín Sánchez-Lavega, a researcher in the Department of Applied Physics at the University of the Basque Country, along with amateur astronomers Trevor Barry and Jean-Paul Oger, were the first to identify the forming wave using the university’s Planetary Virtual Observatory Laboratory.
Observations are being conducted as part of Hubble’s Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy program, which images outer planets annually. Scientists plan to use Hubble and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to further investigate how the wave is generated and what it reveals about the atmospheres of gas giants like Saturn. Saturn’s orbit is currently positioned to allow for a clear view of its south pole from Earth.
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