An amazing observation was shared with the public by the space agency NASA – it turns out that the famous 'hexagon' of Saturn has undergone dramatic changes. These two images, taken in natural colors using the Cassini spacecraft's wide-angle camera, show how the north polar region of Saturn changed between 2012 and 2016.
Scientists are investigating possible reasons for the color change in the area inside the north-polar hexagon on Saturn. The color change is believed to be due to the changing seasons on Saturn. In particular, the transition from a bluish color to a more golden hue may be associated with an increase in photochemical haze in the atmosphere, since the summer solstice will be at the North Pole in May 2017.
The researchers believe the hexagon may act as a barrier that prevents the particles generated outside of it from clouding. According to them, during the polar winter night between November 1995 and August 2009, the polar atmosphere of Saturn became clear due to the release of gases formed as a result of photochemical reactions – reactions involving sunlight and the atmosphere. And since the planet was experiencing an equinox in August 2009, the polar atmosphere was bathed in continuous sunlight, and gas bursts were present within the hexagon around the north pole, making the polar atmosphere hazy today.
According to scientists, there are other effects, including changes in atmospheric circulation, that also played a role. Thus, seasonally changing patterns of solar heating could affect winds in the polar regions.
Sources: NASA
