Storm on Saturn

Pictures of the week:

This is bigger than any election on Earth. Indeed, it's practically bigger than Earth, period:

NASA's Cassini spacecraft recently captured these images (taken in visible light [left] and infrared) of a massive hurricane-like storm at Saturn's south pole, the first such phenomenon ever spotted on another planet.

Much like an Earth-bound hurricane, the storm features a well-developed central eye and columns of towering clouds. But this cyclone could not only dwarf any Earthly storm, it could also virtually swallow the Earth itself, measuring a monstrous 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers) across.

The cyclone is swirling over the pole at 350 miles (550 kilometers) an hour, whipping up Saturn's ammonia clouds at speeds much higher than the winds inside Jupiter's Great Red Spot.

Comments

Eric | November 14, 2006, 9:40am | #

This just demonstrates the total lack of priorities in the Bush Administration. Spending tax dollars on interplanetary survelliance instead of on Saturnian mega-hurricane relief.

R C Dean | November 14, 2006, 10:04am | #

Obviously, the increase in severity and frequency of hurricanes on Saturn is proof of Saturnian warming, caused by the excessive CO2 production of industrial society there.

rafuzo | November 14, 2006, 10:20am | #

Seriously, Eric. What have we done? Bush doesn't care about Saturnians. I demand the impeachment of FEMA

Joseph Majsterski | November 14, 2006, 10:22am | #

WTF? The Great Red Spot is as big as two or three Earths, and has wind speeds comparable to this new comer. Just because it's anti-cyclonic, sheesh. A clear case of discrimination.

thoreau | November 14, 2006, 10:34am | #

These things are just plain cool!

Shawn Smith | November 14, 2006, 11:00am | #

I don't know if the storm is cool, but I'll bet the storm is cold.

J sub D | November 14, 2006, 11:11am | #

I hate to quibble (not really) but Earth's diameter is approx. 8,000 miles. This storm is only 62% of that. Hardly large enough to "virtually swallow the Earth itself"

Other than that, Megacool!

Thomas Paine's Goiter | November 14, 2006, 11:13am | #

Do we have any estimates of the storm surge?

MY GOD WE MUST KNOW WHAT THE EXACT STORM SURGE WILL BE!

Thomas Paine's Goiter | November 14, 2006, 11:15am | #

This storm is only 62% of that. Hardly large enough to "virtually swallow the Earth itself"


Oh come on. If it hit the earth north of the equator, it would affect virtually every living creature on the planet. I'd say that's enough.

Karen | November 14, 2006, 11:35am | #

Pictures like this are why I read H & R more than any other blog. Forget politics, this is just about the coolest thing around now. Thanks, Jesse. You've made my morning.

Jesse Walker | November 14, 2006, 11:44am | #

J sub D: You're right. The quoted text is arguably in the clear, but my intro isn't -- I'll fix it. Thanks.

idiot | November 14, 2006, 11:48am | #

wow! intergalactic nipples!

Jason Ligon | November 14, 2006, 12:49pm | #

"The cyclone is swirling over the pole at 350 miles (550 kilometers) an hour, whipping up Saturn's ammonia clouds at speeds much higher than the winds inside Jupiter's Great Red Spot."

I'll bet you could clean yourself quite the bathtub in there.

Buckshot | November 14, 2006, 1:37pm | #

I can dig 350 MPH, but I reject & resent 550 kilometers per hour. There oughta be a law.

Pro Libertate | November 14, 2006, 1:59pm | #

Karen,

Reubens also painted some Cronus-eatin' fun.

Karen | November 14, 2006, 2:31pm | #

Thanks, Pro L. I hadn't seen that picture before. Peter Paul is a favorite of mine and I'm always happy to see another one of his works. ("The Apotheosis of Marie de Medici" is, in my opinion, one of the earliest examples of postmodern irony in painting.)

Pro Libertate | November 14, 2006, 3:37pm | #

The coolest Saturn photos that I've seen are the recent ones taken by Cassini on the "dark side" of Saturn. Very cool, and they also include a little blue dot (at around 10 o'clock in the outer rings, or thereabouts) that would be the Earth. My favorite of the group is this picture.

Akira MacKenzie | November 14, 2006, 4:43pm | #

My God! It's full of... Oh shit, wrong planet!

Pro Libertate | November 14, 2006, 4:51pm | #

Akira,

No, it's the right planet. Kubrick couldn't handle the rings, so he changed it to Jupiter. The monolith was hanging out near Iapetus in the book, if I remember correctly.

Dave Bowman | November 14, 2006, 5:24pm | #

Actually, I was misquoted. What I really said was, "My God, it's full of Mars Bars."

Eric the .5b | November 14, 2006, 6:07pm | #

The monolith was hanging out near Iapetus in the book, if I remember correctly.

Basically; it was standing upright on Iapetus's surface.

Akira MacKenzie | November 14, 2006, 11:16pm | #

"My God, it's full of Mars Bars."

You mean Snickers with Almonds.

Pro Libertate | November 15, 2006, 12:44pm | #

When Star Child craves a sweet snack, he manipulates reality to grab an Almond Joy. Sometimes, Star Child feels like an omniscient nut.

Stevo Darkly | November 15, 2006, 4:21pm | #

"My stars! It's full of gods!"

Upon witnessing the sudden birth of a posthuman AI culture in orbit around Jupiter, The Cassini Division, by Ken MacLeod

Pro Fortunato | November 15, 2006, 4:37pm | #

For the love of God, Montressor, it's full of bricks!