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Saturn Hexagon Cloud Video'd by Cassini

Q

Queso

Suspended
Original poster
Mar 4, 2006
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The North Pole of Saturn has a big hexagon shaped cloud over it, which has been there at least as long as humans have been sending probes to the ringed gas giant. As yet, there's no definite theory to explain why the cloud has fallen into the shape of a regular polygon rather than a circle. Just one more thing that makes Saturn so interesting I suppose. Anyway, Cassini took a flyover back in November and made a short night-time video.

Click here to watch it courtesy of NASA
 
Here's a good false-colour one showing the Hexagon with Saturn's Aurora in Blue. It suggests that the planet's magnetic field is heavily involved in maintaining the feature, as the circle where the magnetic torus intersects the top of the atmosphere is very close to the hexagon's boundary.

172319main_pia09185-448.jpg
 
dynamicv said:
Here's a good false-colour one showing the Hexagon with Saturn's Aurora in Blue. It suggests that the planet's magnetic field is heavily involved in maintaining the feature, as the circle where the magnetic torus intersects the top of the atmosphere is very close to the hexagon's boundary.

172319main_pia09185-448.jpg
Click to expand...

Wow!

I'd love a picture like that for my flat :D
 
dcv said:
Wow!

I'd love a picture like that for my flat :D
Click to expand...

1. Take a photo directly from the screen (as it looks as though NASA doesn't have a particularly hi-res version to D/L).

2. Take the file to a printers and have them blow it up to your desired size and have them print it on Lazertran.

3. Pop down to the London Graphic Centre in Covent Garden, and buy a canvas the same size.

4. Stick the Lazertran image on the canvas.

5. Amaze your friends with the canvas that looks like it was painted. But wasn't.

;)
 
dcv said:
I like it :) guess it'd look pretty 'blocky' blown up but still quite cool!
Click to expand...

It'll look pretty much the same as the image above, because you'll be taking a photo of the screen, so it'll be at it's native resolution, but at whatever megapixel your digital camera takes shots at, allowing the printers to upscale just dandy. ;)

If you really wanted to do it properly, use a conventional film camera, have it developed and then re-scan it in at whatever size you want, and at whatever resolution you want, and BAM!!!

And because Lazertran is so thin, it moulds to the texture of the canvas, so it looks like a proper, real canvas and everything blimey! :p

Lovely to see you back by the way. :) Off to see James???
 
Saturn - 6th planet in the solar system.
Hexagon - 6 sided figure.
Photo taken: 2006

Something very evil about this. I think we should rename Saturn "Damien".
 
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