# Giant Hexagon Storm on Saturn **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 27, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755 "2007-03-27T23:08:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/1 "2007-03-27T23:08:49Z")
I haven’t seen this here. [JPL.NASA.GOV](http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2007-034) [QUOTE=JPL] Pasadena, Calif. – An odd, six-sided, honeycomb-shaped feature circling the entire north pole of Saturn has captured the interest of scientists with NASA’s Cassini mission. NASA’s Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft imaged the feature over two decades ago. The fact that it has appeared in Cassini images indicates that it is a long-lived feature. A second hexagon, significantly darker than the brighter historical feature, is also visible in the Cassini pictures. The spacecraft’s visual and infrared mapping spectrometer is the first instrument to capture the entire hexagon feature in one image. \< snip \> The hexagon is similar to Earth’s polar vortex, which has winds blowing in a circular pattern around the polar region. On Saturn, the vortex has a hexagonal rather than circular shape. The hexagon is nearly 25,000 kilometers (15,000 miles) across. Nearly four Earths could fit inside it. [/quote] The physics behind this ought to be interesting. I bet the UFO types will love this; no doubt it’s natural, but it _looks_ artificial. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/2 "2007-03-27T23:22:42Z")
Wow. 15,000 miles across? I suppose if you were right under it, you wouldn’t notice the nearly square sides. Does size and distance do that – make things that aren’t square look square? But equal size sides? Dang. Mind boggling. ---
**Author:** ![tiger\_lily](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/96bed5/32.png) [@tiger\_lily](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiger_lily)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/3 "2007-03-27T23:38:18Z")
Wonder if [this](http://www.cylon.org/images/classic/2001-0147.jpg) is somewhere deep inside…? ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2007, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/4 "2007-03-27T23:55:47Z")
[QUOTE=Der Trihs] The physics behind this ought to be interesting. [/QUOTE] [Geometric whirlpools revealed](http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060515/full/060515-17.html) > [@](#): > > Bizarre geometric shapes that appear at the centre of swirling vortices in planetary atmospheres might be explained by a simple experiment with a bucket of water. > > Researchers at the Technical University of Denmark in Lyngby have created similar geometric shapes (holes in the form of stars, squares, pentagons and hexagons) in whirlpools of water in a cylindrical bucket1. The shapes appear easily enough once the bucket is spinning at a rate of one to seven revolutions per second, they say. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/5 "2007-03-28T00:01:50Z")
[QUOTE=tiger lily] Wonder if [this](http://www.cylon.org/images/classic/2001-0147.jpg) is somewhere deep inside…? [/QUOTE] I was thinking [this](http://www.ypsidixit.com/blog/archives/2006/04/schnucks_crispy.html). ---
**Author:** ![Precambrianmollusc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/precambrianmollusc/32/63_2.png) [@Precambrianmollusc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Precambrianmollusc)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/6 "2007-03-28T00:02:44Z")
There are some stunning photos on the NASA site This one buried in the archives is pretty interesting Apparently the Empire has built another Death Star and it is on its way here. [http://www.nasa.gov/mission\_pages/cassini/multimedia/pia08278.html](http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/cassini/multimedia/pia08278.html) ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/7 "2007-03-28T00:54:46Z")
[Iapetus](http://www.solarviews.com/raw/pia/PIA06166.jpg) [Hyperion](http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051003.html) ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/8 "2007-03-28T01:08:35Z")
> **[The 2001 Archive](https://2001archive.org/)** > > Visit the post for more. ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/9 "2007-03-28T01:26:21Z")
[QUOTE=davidm] > **[The 2001 Archive](https://2001archive.org/)** [/QUOTE] Is says I’m FORBIDDEN. Why? Is Sauron looking at it right now or something? ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/10 "2007-03-28T01:37:32Z")
[QUOTE=Rysdad] Is says I’m FORBIDDEN. Why? Is Sauron looking at it right now or something? [/QUOTE] Are you saying that the server says you’re forbidden? Hmm, not sure why that should be. It works for me. Anyway, it’s a short clip from 2001: “My God. It’s full of stars!” ---
**Author:** ![Terrifel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c68b51/32.png) [@Terrifel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terrifel)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/11 "2007-03-28T02:05:52Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] [Iapetus](http://www.solarviews.com/raw/pia/PIA06166.jpg) [/QUOTE] Oh man, that’s so fakey. They didn’t even bother to trim off the flashing. What a crappy molding job. ---
**Author:** ![Rich\_Mann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ce73a5/32.png) [@Rich\_Mann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rich_Mann)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/12 "2007-03-28T06:37:54Z")
[QUOTE=Squink] [Hyperion](http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap051003.html) [/QUOTE] Obviously the hive of _Futurama_’s Space-Bees. Leela: “Honeycomb’s big!” Bender: “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” Fry: “It’s not small!” Bender: “No, no, no.” ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/13 "2007-03-28T07:36:53Z")
Unscientific, unsubstantiated speculation… if you had a circular storm, and many circular storms near it (next to it…) it might line up [like this.](http://mathworld.wolfram.com/images/eps-gif/CirclesHexagonal_700.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Eutychus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Eutychus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eutychus)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/14 "2007-03-28T09:46:07Z")
[QUOTE=tiger lily] Wonder if [this](http://www.cylon.org/images/classic/2001-0147.jpg) is somewhere deep inside…? [/QUOTE] That depends on if you’re watching the movie or reading the book. ---
**Author:** ![The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a87d85/32.png) [@The\_King\_of\_Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_King_of_Soup)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 10:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/15 "2007-03-28T10:01:03Z")
Don’t storms here sometimes form that kind of pattern? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/16 "2007-03-28T17:32:06Z")
Those interested might also check out some of the comments on the (now closed) thread [Cassini photographs of incredible atmospheric phenomenon on Saturn](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=414232) ---
**Author:** ![Alistair\_McCello](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Alistair\_McCello](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alistair_McCello)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/17 "2007-03-28T17:59:38Z")
> [@Rich Mann](#): > > Obviously the hive of Futurama’s Space-Bees. > > Leela: “Honeycomb’s big!” > Bender: “Yeah, yeah, yeah.” > Fry: “It’s not small!” > Bender: “No, no, no.” In the spirit of keeping this discussion completely factual I must point out that this exchange was between Leela, Fry, and _Hermes_, not Bender. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/18 "2007-03-28T18:10:41Z")
[QUOTE=Alistair McCello] In the spirit of keeping this discussion completely factual I must point out that this exchange was between Leela, Fry, and _Hermes_, not Bender. [/QUOTE] [Fry, Hermes and Bender](http://en.allexperts.com/e/t/th/the_sting_(futurama).htm): **Fry:** How big’s the honeycomb? **Hermes:** Honeycomb’s big. Yeah, yeah, yeah. **Bender:** It’s not small? **Hermes:** No, no, no! ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/19 "2007-03-28T18:43:25Z")
Hexagonal? Isn’t that just like a mantle plume here on Earth? ---
**Author:** ![enigm4tic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@enigm4tic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enigm4tic)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2007, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755/20 "2007-03-28T19:13:57Z")
I can’t believe the thread has gotten this far without welcoming our hexagonal overlords from Saturn. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/giant-hexagon-storm-on-saturn/397755.md?page=2)