Saturn Hexagon Changing Colors in NASA Spacecraft Photos

Scientists are investigating why a hexagon-shaped spot on Saturn’s north pole changed from blue four years ago to gold today.

The spot has been somewhat of a mystery to scientists, who speculate that it is a six-sided jetstream, with the shape being formed by winds that extend deep into the planet’s atmosphere.

The changing colors were noticed when researchers compared side-by-side images taken by the Cassini wide-angle camera four years apart, according to NASA.

The hexagon-like spot is thought to be 20,000 miles wide and has a polar cyclone at its center.

The formation was first observed by Voyagers 1 and 2 more than 30 years ago and is believed to be a permanent feature related to Saturn’s rotation.

The clouds at the outer edge of the hurricane swirling beneath the hexagon’s surface are estimated to be traveling at about 330 miles per second, The Daily Mail reported.

Scientists believe that the reason for the change in color change may be the changing seasons on Saturn, where winter and summer each last about nine Earth-years. There has been continuous sun on the pole since August 2009.

“In particular, the change from a bluish color to a more golden hue may be due to the increased production of photochemical hazes in the atmosphere as the north pole approaches summer solstice in May 2017,” NASA said on Friday.

The patterns of solar heating may shift with the seasons and influence winds, which could account for the change in color. NASA scientists also speculate that changes in circulation of the atmosphere could play a role.

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