Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Astronomy Picture of the Day -- In the Center of Saturn's North Polar Vortex
NASA ^ | December 04, 2012 | (see photo credit)

Posted on 12/04/2012 8:30:49 PM PST by SunkenCiv

Explanation: What's happening at the north pole of Saturn? A vortex of strange and complex swirling clouds. The center of this vortex was imaged in unprecedented detail last week by the robotic Cassini spacecraft orbiting Saturn. These clouds lie at the center of the unusual hexagonal cloud system that surrounds the north pole of Saturn. Saturn's north pole precessed into sunlight just a few years ago, with Cassini taking only infrared images of the shadowed region previously. The above image is raw and unprocessed and is being prepared for release in 2013. Several similar images of the region have recently been condensed into a movie. Planetary scientists are sure to continue to study this most unusual cloud formation for quite some time.

December 04, 2012

(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; astronomy; polarvortex; saturn; science
[Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute]

1 posted on 12/04/2012 8:30:58 PM PST by SunkenCiv
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: brytlea; cripplecreek; decimon; bigheadfred; KoRn; Grammy; married21; steelyourfaith; Mmogamer; ...

2 posted on 12/04/2012 8:32:14 PM PST by SunkenCiv (https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Oh No! Mr. Bill!!! Gerbil warming on Saturn!


3 posted on 12/04/2012 8:53:05 PM PST by Rembrandt (Part of the 51% who pay Federal taxes)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv
Without my glasses I read this as In the Center of Santa's North Pole Vortex
4 posted on 12/04/2012 9:00:25 PM PST by Bon of Babble (Instant Human....Add Coffee)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

Anyone know what the scale of this pic is? So hard for a simpleton like me to tell with a gas giant feature whether you should a scale bar in km or Earths...


5 posted on 12/05/2012 2:05:35 AM PST by verum ago (Some people must truly be in love, for only love can be so blind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: verum ago
I posted an article from "Universe Today" last week about Saturn's Hexagon you can link to here
Free Republic:Incredible Raw Image of Saturn's North Pole Hexagon.
As I vaguely recall someone posted the comparative size of the Earth within the Hexagon and I created the image of the Earth as the blue circle within the Hexagon from memory so it's approximate.


6 posted on 12/05/2012 8:12:01 AM PST by lbryce (BHO:"Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds by way Oppenheiner at Trinity NM)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: lbryce
Thanks, but I just found out this morning that the sides of the overall hexagonal feature are about 13,800 km long, whereas Earth's mean diameter is 12,742 km.

Since this vortex is the small feature in the center of the overall hexagon:



I'd estimate the field of view in this picture below to be about 2500 km across:



For reference, the largest tropical cyclone I can find on record is Typhoon Tip, at 2200 km across:



I feel bad correcting you after you tried to answer my question...
7 posted on 12/05/2012 11:57:31 AM PST by verum ago (Some people must truly be in love, for only love can be so blind.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson