Saturn’s hexagonal storm lies at approximately 78°N latitude.
The feature is a persistent, six-sided cloud pattern encircling Saturn’s north pole. Unlike a temporary storm on Earth, it has remained recognizable for decades. The hexagon is formed within a fast-moving polar jet stream, whose atmospheric flow maintains the unusual polygonal shape.
The Voyager spacecraft first revealed the feature during flybys in 1980 and 1981. NASA’s Cassini mission later observed it in far greater detail, tracking its clouds, colors, and rotation. Each side is roughly 14,500 kilometers long, making the pattern wider than Earth.
The hexagon is not located at Saturn’s south pole, and it is not a solid structure or a physical opening in the atmosphere. It is a weather pattern in the northern atmosphere. Researchers have proposed explanations involving atmospheric waves and differences in wind speed at different latitudes, but the exact mechanism remains an active area of study.