Why does Saturn have a hexagonally-shaped storm?
Storms are a totally normal part of nature. Earth has them every day, and so do most other planets in our solar system. On large “gas giant” planets, the storms are so massive, we can actually see their patterns on the surface of the planet using our telescopes.
On other planets, it’s not unusual to see a storm rage on for years. This is true on Jupiter and Neptune, which are both known for their super storms that have lasted for decades or longer. That being said, there has been only one planet to stun scientists with its storms: Saturn.
What shocks scientists about Saturn’s storm isn’t its size or duration. Rather, it’s the fact that this is the only planet we have ever seen to have a storm that is in the clear shape of a hexagon. Right off the bat, this defies the laws of physics as we know them. Storms aren’t supposed to have angles!
The storm is right at Saturn’s North Pole, and somehow, it gets even weirder. The storm recently changed color from turquoise to yellow. No one has any explanation for why that happened, either.
