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Saturn's Strange Hexagon Recreated In the Lab

Posted by timothy on from the reproducing-the-big-wet-spot dept.

cremeglace writes "Saturn boasts one of the solar system's most geometrical features: a giant hexagon encircling its north pole. Though not as famous as Jupiter's Great Red Spot, Saturn's Hexagon is equally mysterious. Now researchers have recreated this formation in the lab using little more than water and a spinning table—an important first step, experts say, in finally deciphering this cosmic mystery. More details, including a cool demo video, at ScienceNOW."

4 of 103 comments (clear)

  1. Similar article from some years ago... by comm2k · · Score: 3, Interesting

    See http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060515/full/news060515-17.html

  2. Isn't this a dupe from 2007? by thomasdz · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Dupe? http://science.slashdot.org/story/07/04/26/1626245/Possible-Clue-On-Saturns-Hexagon?art_pos=3

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  3. UK catching up, only 11 years behind Denmark! by Old+School+Saturn+Fa · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Yeah so polygons are formed in hydraulic rotating systems when you introduce a vertical jet of a different viscosity. Welcome to 1999!

    Jesus this is getting ridiculous! When can Scandinavian scientists start to believe that UK/US researchers even scan their works before publishing? Its like Anders Celsius never existed!

    http://iopscience.iop.org/0951-7715/12/1/001;jsessionid=B8281BB419A9613CD40649F803F5C666.c2

    Full disclosure: I am not Danish

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  4. Re:Geometrical by telomerewhythere · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Buckyballs
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullerene