Saturns signal?

[Bozo Erectus]

One of the most bizarre weather patterns known has been photographed at Saturn, where astronomers have spotted a huge, six-sided feature circling the north pole.

Rather than the normally sinuous cloud structures seen on all planets that have atmospheres, this thing is a hexagon.

The honeycomb-like feature has been seen before. NASA's Voyager 1 and 2 spacecraft imaged it more than two decades ago. Now, having spotted it with the Cassini spacecraft, scientists conclude it is a long-lasting oddity.

"This is a very strange feature, lying in a precise geometric fashion with six nearly equally straight sides," said Kevin Baines, atmospheric expert and member of Cassini's visual and infrared mapping spectrometer team at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "We've never seen anything like this on any other planet. Indeed, Saturn's thick atmosphere, where circularly-shaped waves and convective cells dominate, is perhaps the last place you'd expect to see such a six-sided geometric figure, yet there it is."

The hexagon is nearly 15,000 miles (25,000 kilometers) across. Nearly four Earths could fit inside it. The thermal imagery shows the hexagon extends about 60 miles (100 kilometers) down into the clouds.

At Saturn's south pole, Cassini recently spotted a freaky human eye-like feature that resembles a hurricane.

"It's amazing to see such striking differences on opposite ends of Saturn's poles," said Bob Brown, team leader of the Cassini visual and infrared mapping spectrometer at the University of Arizona. "At the south pole we have what appears to be a hurricane with a giant eye, and at the north pole of Saturn we have this geometric feature, which is completely different."

The hexagon appears to have remained fixed with Saturn's rotation rate and axis since first glimpsed by Voyager 26 years ago. The actual rotation rate of Saturn is still uncertain, which means nobody knows exactly how long the planet's day is.

"Once we understand its dynamical nature, this long-lived, deep-seated polar hexagon may give us a clue to the true rotation rate of the deep atmosphere and perhaps the interior," Baines said.

http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/070327_saturn_hex.html

Really interesting story, from a number of angles. The one that interests me in particular is this: If from an orbiting satellite we spotted a large perfectly hexagonal structure on the Earths surface, any scientist who tried to explain it as being formed by natural geologic processes would be laughed out of the room, down the hall, and out into the street. But because its not on Earth, the same treatment would be given to anyone who proposed that it was made by someone or something, by some means and technology unknown to us at this time. I already know that virtually everyone here will automatically conclude its a natural phenomenon, but Id like to hear some explanations as to how that could be. The laws of physics are the same on Saturn as on Earth, right? So why isnt this a textbook example of humanity stumbling across evidence of non human intelligence out there in space, and not recognizing it for what it is?

Disclaimer: I dont know what the heck it is. Im not, I repeat, Im not stating that this IS an artificial creation of floating sentient gasbags who live in Saturns atmosphere, and who are sending a signal saying "Psst! We're here!" But Id like to hear the reasoning of those who know that it isnt.

 

[Xenocrates]

Yeah I saw the story too. The shape isn't a perfect hexagon; in fact it's quite 'wonky'. I remember a few years ago reading about a book called 'The Ringmakers of Saturn', which argued that the rings are artificial.

Upon examination, these B&W Voyager I frames appeared to suggest that images being used to demonstrate the presence of large spacecraft,

http://www.unexplainable.net/artman/publish/article_2842.shtml

I looked at the pictures on the website and guess what? I can't see any spaceships!

 

[warpus]

The laws of physics are the same on Saturn as on Earth, right?

Yeah but Saturn is a gas giant.. things work very differently there than they do here.

It'd be like seeing a hexagon-shaped cloud here on earth. Nobody would suggest it was the product of Intelligent Design (tm).

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Yeah I saw the story too. The shape isn't a perfect hexagon; in fact it's quite 'wonky'. I remember a few years ago reading about a book called 'The Ringmakers of Saturn', which argued that the rings are artificial.



http://www.unexplainable.net/artman/publish/article_2842.shtml

I looked at the pictures on the website and guess what? I can't see any spaceships!

Looks like an interesting site, its in my faves now. Speaking of rings, you know what one of the first things I thought of when I read the article about the hexagon? The 'natural' giant eye storm system in Nivens Ringworld When I saw the hexagion I started whimpering like Speaker-to-Animals

It'd be like seeing a hexagon-shaped cloud here on earth. Nobody would suggest it was the product of Intelligent Design (tm).

Yeah but would such a naturally occuring hexagonal cloud system be possible on Earth? No, right? So why on Saturn? Do you mean it IS possible on Saturn because of the much greater scale? Sounds reasonable, but from what Ive read and heard about this so far, scientists have no explanation whatsoever about how such a structure could occur naturally.

 

[warpus]

Yeah but would such a naturally occuring hexagonal cloud system be possible on Earth? No, right? So why on Saturn? Do you mean it IS possible on Saturn because of the much greater scale? Sounds reasonable, but from what Ive read and heard about this so far, scientists have no explanation whatsoever about how such a structure could occur naturally.

Well, the hexagon occurs naturally in many places.. perhaps the conditions for its formation were well aligned on Saturn, for some reason? I've never seen a hexagon cloud here on earth, but take a look at these:

Frozen water microcrystals

I saw even more interesting pictures of a hexagon forming in a bucket of spinning water, but I can't find it right now.

Either way, this is a bit odd, but there is nothing to suggest that this isn't entirely natural.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

Yeah I was thinking that those sorts of structures can form in crystals. Well if I was going to guess at a natural cause for the hexagon, Id say it has something to do with Saturns powerful magnetic field. If I was going to guess at an 'intelligent design' cause for the hexagon, Id say maybe the sentient gasbags know how to manipulate the planets magnetic field

Jupiter has a very powerful magnetic field too. Maybe thats what causes the Red Spot.

 

[Winner]

If we sent a probe into this hexagon, I am sure we'd find a huge, black monolith floating in the middle of it

 

[Bozo Erectus]

If we sent a probe into this hexagon, I am sure we'd find a huge, black monolith floating in the middle of it

Well, you know me, wouldnt surprise me one bit. Id say, 'Told ya so!'

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

If we sent a probe into this hexagon, I am sure we'd find a huge, black monolith floating in the middle of it

I'm not following that allusion.

 

[nc-1701]

This is really weird, but if spinning water can create a hexagon then why not spinning dense gases?

@Cheezy ever seen 2001 A Space Odyssea?

 

[bhsup]

I'm not following that allusion.

Just what do you think you're doing Dave?

 

[Urederra]

Do not worry, it is part of the global warming. It happens in Earth, It happens in Mars, and it happens in Saturn too.

 

[Winner]

I'm not following that allusion.

Still nothing?

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

I've never seen A Space Odyessy.

 

[warpus]

Oh my God

It's full of stars

 

[Bozo Erectus]

I've never seen A Space Odyessy.

<gasp>

 

[Masquerouge]

It Is The Eye Of God!

 

[warpus]

I've never seen A Space Odyessy.

Seeing it? You're supposed to read it Movie sucks balls compared to the novel.

In any case, here is a picture of water inside a spinning bucket:

 

[drkodos]

Dave, this conversation can serve no purpose anymore.

Goodbye

 

[Bozo Erectus]

OMIGOD! Intelligent life in a bucket! To think Ive lived to see this day! Warpus, but come on, isnt there a big difference between a Saturn, and a bucket of water? And the monstrous thing on Saturn appears to be a permanent feature.

BTW, as you can clearly see from the photo that you yourself have provided, the hexagon in the bucket of water is being caused by 'intelligent design' AKA humans. That propeller thing in the center isnt a natural feature is it, Or the bucket itself?

The defense rests, Your Honor.