Space probe records huge Hurricane on Saturn

The Cassini spacecraft was able to record in detail a rare event in Saturn's atmosphere: the storm known as the Great White Spot, which occurs every 30 years and creates a gigantic cloud at the north pole of the planet.

Saturn takes 29.45 Earth years to complete a loop around the Sun, and when it comes in close proximity to the star-king, its atmosphere warms, modifying the property of the gases.

The Great White Spot, a name given in reference to Jupiter's Great Red Spot, is the result of rising gases from the lower atmosphere of Saturn that produce the storm.

In the eye of the hurricane

The event was closely watched recently by the Cassini spacecraft, which was able to capture optimal definition images of the planet. The record was privileged by the good illumination of the north face of Saturn, which allowed to see unpublished details of the formation of the Great White Spot.

Through the images, scientists have discovered a giant hurricane in the center of the storm that, surprisingly, may have been in operation for many years. The discovery was possible only because the Cassini spacecraft had its orbit carefully planned to study the planet Saturn.