APOD: 2026 September 8 – Hubble: Decagon Around Saturn’s South Pole
The post APOD: 2026 September 8 – Hubble: Decagon Around Saturn’s South Pole appeared first on NASA Science .
On September 8, 2026, the Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) featured a striking image of Saturn's South Pole captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. This geometric pattern, a decagon, differs from the hexagonal shape observed at Saturn's North Pole since 1987. The Hubble's observations revealed a 10-sided cloud formation around the polar region, likely due to the interaction of fast-moving gas away from the pole with slower-moving gas nearer to it.
The image composite, taken the previous year, showcased the South Pole marked by an X and surrounded by bands of circulating clouds. The decagon appears most striking in the darker inner regions of Saturn's polar area. While the stability of the northern hexagon has persisted for over 40 years, the southern decagon's longevity is still under investigation.
This captivating image was captured by professionals from NASA, ESA, STScI, HST, and various research institutions.
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- APOD: 2026 September 8 – Hubble: Decagon Around Saturn’s South Pole science.nasa.gov
