If you’re not aware, the planet Saturn has a massive hexagon on it’s north pole that could fit four earth’s inside of it.
Kind of crazy, right? Well it’s there, and has been a mystery for decades. Still unsure exactly what is happening on the pole, scientists as Oxford University have replicated the bizarre phenomenon in the laboratory by spinning discs beneath liquid at different speeds.
Additionally, by varying the speeds at which the discs are spinning, other geometrical shapes like triangles, septagons, and ovals can be created.
Some may say, “But Saturn’s atmosphere is gas, not liquid.” However, in the world of fluid dynamics, liquids and gases follow the same laws. The team at Oxford is not the only group to produce such shapes in this way, but are the first to publish a paper linking the conditions to those found on Saturn.
For a more detailed look, please refer to Emily Lakdawalla’s blog post at the Planetary Society.