Astronomers Observe Colossal Saturn Storm

July 6, 2011 4:14 PM

The huge storm churning through the atmosphere in Saturn’s northern hemisphere overtakes itself as it encircles the planet in this true-color view from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft. (NASA/JPL)

Filed under

News

Related tags

Cassini Spacecraft, Saturn

LOS ANGELES (AP) – It began as a bright white dot in Saturn’s northern hemisphere. Within days, the dot grew larger and stormier.

Soon the tempest enveloped the ringed planet, triggering lightning flashes thousands of times more intense than on Earth.

The international Cassini spacecraft and ground telescopes have been tracking the turbulence since last December, visible from Earth as a type of storm known as a “Great White Spot.”

“It’s still going like crazy,” said Cassini project scientist Linda Spilker of the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

>> Listen: Cassini Spacecraft Records Saturn Lightning

Such planet-wide weather disturbances are rare on Saturn, where the atmosphere is typically hazy and calm. Since 1876, astronomers have observed only five other megastorms on Saturn.

“This is a one-of-a-kind storm,” said Andrew Ingersoll, a self-described planetary weatherman at the California Institute of Technology, who was part of the discovery team.

Scientists have long studied weather on other planets. One of the solar system’s most famous landmarks is Jupiter’s Great Red Spot, a hurricane-like storm that has been raging for centuries. Landers and rovers to Mars’ surface often carried weather stations, dodged dust storms and sought favorable places to park during the winter.

An instrument aboard Cassini, which is orbiting Saturn, first picked up radio outbursts on Dec. 5, 2010 from a lightning storm. Around the same time, amateur astronomers peering through telescopes saw a bright point in Saturn’s northern half. Further observations confirmed it was a brewing storm.

The storm system, which occurred during the start of Saturn spring, grew in size and intensity, eventually stretching around the planet. Scientists don’t exactly know what stirs up the storms, but they think it could be linked to the change of seasons.

At the height of the storm, Cassini detected 10 lightning strikes per second. Scientists said the electrical activity emitted by the bursts were 10,000 times stronger than lightning on Earth.

The findings were described in two papers published in Thursday’s issue of the journal Nature.

The new work represents “some of the most detailed observations so far of such a dramatic event,” Peter Read of the University of Oxford wrote in an accompanying editorial.

Saturn’s violent weather differs from Earth and Jupiter in significant ways. Lightning storms on Earth tend to be localized and short-lived, lasting only a few hours. Jupiter storms can last for days and lightning is far more common there than on Saturn.

Since entering orbit around Saturn in 2004, Cassini has witnessed 10 storms in a region of the southern hemisphere known as “storm alley” because of the high level of storm activity.

The previous storms were much weaker compared with the latest one, the first to be detected in the northern hemisphere.

Astronomers Observe Colossal Saturn Storm

Plato

Saturn is not a planet. It is a celestial orb attached to a perfect crystalline sphere. To think otherwise is heresy.
http://theextinctionprotocol.wordpress.com/2011/07/07/saturns-superstorm-earth-no-the-only-planet-climate-becoming-more-turbulent/ Saturn’s superstorm: Earth not the only planet climate becoming more turbulent | The Extinction Protocol: 2012 and beyond

[...] The findings were described in two papers published in Thursday’s issue of the journal Nature. –CBS News This entry was posted in Extreme Weather Event, Solar Event, Space Watch. Bookmark the permalink. [...]
Ben Dover

Damn you SUV drivers! DAMN YOU!
Bones

It’s NOT called “Global Warming” anymore! Get this into your heads… it is now referred to as GLOABL DISTRUPTION!.

Otherwise Environmental Scientists (aka federal grant projcets and hippies) has a hard time selling it’s propaganda as the climate seems to be cooling a tad.
Farmer Bob

“This is a one-of-a-kind storm,” said Andrew Ingersoll, a self-described planetary weatherman at the California Institute of Technology. . .

How does *he* know? Just because *he’s* never heard of one before doesn’t mean they aren’t routine over time . . . you know, just like heating and cooling cycles — maunder minimums and the like — right here on earth.
Smitty

Solar warming! Get Al Snore on it!
Danny

Ben Jealous of the NAACP is protesting these very white storm clouds for their lack of diversity.

Stroganovsky

NASA is going to compensate people of color for this despicable white storm system by naming it “Hurricane Barack.”

Tuscaneer

Better they should name such a big-azz storm after Michelle. Moo-chelle!

Stroganovsky

Oh fine, now the Saturnalians, fleeing their disaster ridden planet, will demand we open our borders to fellow members of the solar system who are simply “seeking a better life.” And Maryland will treat them to instate tuition rates.
Mad Max

It’s all Bush’s fault…!!!
CradleofIdiocy

“Journalists” are idiots. The person who wrote this says, “……the atmosphere is typically hazy and calm.” Average winds on Saturn are 800-900 mph. That’s hardly what I’d call calm.

Journalists shouldn’t be writing science for mass consumption. Idiocy like this is why the global warming propaganda is promulgated through the media. These people have no knowledge of science.

Nancy Poleosi

Goblule Warning am real!

I are ofended buy yur use of science to sho howe dum I are.
N. Polesi

jack

Scientists don’t exactly know what stirs up the storms, but they think it could be linked to George W Bush.

working man

Just what I was thinking, Jack:)
bob

You forgot the quote marks around “Scientists”.

http://www.pprune.org/jet-blast/456618-sandstorm-phoenix.html#post6558306 Sandstorm Phoenix – PPRuNe Forums

[...] [...]
Dave Shaffer

Probably caused by “global warmimg”.
zombiescreepingflesh

No, it isn’t caused by Man Made Global Warming. We can’t tax billions from serious workers for that because now they’ve figured out Global Warming isn’t true. It’s Man Made CLIMATE CHANGE that we can tax billions for. DUH!

Generalized statistics prove that since man made carbon emissions have gone up it has caused the obesity epidemic in the free world.
jonesy

Calling it a Great White Spot is RACIST!!!!
astralweeks

Al Gore lays the blame at man made climate change.
Grant Smith

I suspect the storm has been caused by the Taliban. They cause problems everywhere they go, Saturn included. If you think the white spot is interesting, check out the Saturn hexagon. It will blow your mind

Htos1

Careful there Grant,the hexagonal auroras you speak of implies a type of physics used to build the Pyramids and bring down the walls of Jerico.This tech was demonstrated by Nikola Tesla in the 1890′s as a means to perpetual free energy.This tech and history is guarded with threats of death by the same bolshevik bankers in London,who control Americas leaders and finances.But,their time is coming,sooner,rather than later.

Grant Smith

Well played sir! I suspect the hexagon is actually created by HAARP, or some sort of Chinese weather weapon. And who is this Tesla fellow you speak of? Inventor of the fluorescent bulb? Designer of the Niagara Falls generating station? Never heard of him. Now Edison on the other hand… a true American hero!

BDK

Wy the he|| is there a link to listen to the lightning? Who cares? Where’s the video?
ByteRider

Relax, people, Al Gore is on it!
http://politicolonel.com/?p=2462 Astronomers observe a ‘colossal’ storm on the planet Saturn » politicolonel.com

[...] Source [...]
Hedley Lamar

Has to be caused by global warming. No other possible explanation.
Fred in NJ

It’s Bush’s fault,
Mike Alright

Yup, global WARMING caused by woman (PC aren’t I?)….
Stroganovsky

Good thing it’s a “Great White Spot” instead of a “Big Black Hole.” Otherwise it would be sucking up all the energy created by the other celestial objects without ever giving anything back.

true be told

best comment ever

ImAnIdiotandVotedForObama

Wow … I bet Al Gore is all over this as an example of the people of Saturn causing their weather to go crazy. How about Ostupid should send a rep to Saturn, (maybe Biden) to talk them into ‘green’ energy.