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heic1917 – Photo Release
September 12, 2019
The NASA / ESA Hubble Space Telescope wide-angle camera 3 observed Saturn on June 20, 2019 as the planet was nearing Earth this year, at about 1.36 billion kilometers.
Since the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope, its goal was to study not only distant astronomical objects, but also the planets of our solar system. Hubble's high-resolution images of our planetary neighbors can only be surpassed by images taken from spaceships that actually visit these bodies. However, Hubble has an advantage over space probes; he can examine these objects periodically and observe them for much longer periods than a passing probe could.
Saturn is home to many recognizable features, including its trademark ring system, which is now tilted toward the Earth. This gives us a magnificent view of its glossy and glossy structure. Hubble solves many loops and weaker inner rings. The Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens first identified the rings in 1655. They thought it was a continuous disc surrounding the planet, but we now know that it's not a problem. they are composed of ice particles and dust in orbit. Although all gas giants boast rings, Saturn is the largest and most spectacular.
The age of Saturn's ringing system continues to be debated. And, more disturbing still, we do not know what cosmic event has formed the rings. There is no consensus among planetary astronomers today.
Another interesting feature is the long, hexagonal structure surrounding the North Pole of the planet. This is a mysterious six-sided pattern caused by a stream of high speed jets. The hexagon is so big that four lands could fit into its borders (there is no similar structure at the south pole of Saturn).
Other features, however, do not last that long. A big storm in the northern polar region spotted by Hubble last year has disappeared. Smaller convective storms, like the one just above the center of the planet's image, come and go.
The amber colors of Saturn come from summer clouds resembling smog, produced during photochemical reactions driven by solar ultraviolet radiation. Below the haze are clouds of ammonia ice crystals, as well as lower and invisible clouds of ammonium hydrosulfide and water. The band structure of the planet is caused by winds and clouds at different altitudes.
The appearance of Saturn changes with the seasons, due to the planet's axial tilt of 27 degrees. This image was taken during the summer in the northern hemisphere of the planet.
This image is the second in an annual series of snapshots taken as part of the Outer Planets Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) project. OPAL helps scientists understand the atmospheric dynamics and evolution of giant gas planets in our solar system. In the case of Saturn, astronomers will be able to track changing weather conditions and other changes to identify trends.
More information
The Hubble Space Telescope is an international cooperation project between ESA and NASA.
Image Credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (Goddard Spaceflight Center) and Mr. H. Wong (University of California, Berkeley)
Connections
contacts
Bethany Downer
ESA / Hubble, responsible for public information
Garching, Germany
Email: [email protected]
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