APOD: Saturn s Serpent Storm (2011 Mar 17)

[APOD Robot]

Saturn s Serpent Storm

Explanation: Late last year, a new, remarkably bright storm erupted in Saturn's northern hemisphere. Nicknamed "the Serpent Storm", the northern hemisphere disturbance is still going strong and now circles far around the planet. Offering spectacular space-based views to the Saturn-orbiting Cassini spacecraft, the storm shows enough contrast with the banded cloud tops to be visible with even modest ground-based equipment, as seen in this sharp image from Buena Vista, Georgia, USA, planet Earth. Amateur astronomers first spotted the bright storm in early December 2010, with the ringed gas giant rising in predawn skies, and continue to monitor the storm's progress.

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[NoelC]

Wow, that's a big storm!

Beautiful image of Saturn. Congratulations, Brian!

-Noel

[Efrain Morales Rivera]

Congrats Brian, On Heavily endorsed image, Showing the magnificent Serpent Storm wrapping around the planet. Looking forward to see more from you And a Super job welldone and Clear Skies.
Efrain

[Beyond]

I wonder what keeps it from spreading out and losing It's narrow shape, even as it gets longer.
I also wonder if It's just a mass of swirling gasses, or if there may be some kind precipitation underneath them.

[Anthony Barreiro]

>> Amateur astronomers first spotted the bright storm in early December 2010, with the ringed gas giant rising in predawn skies, and continue to monitor the storm's progress.

We seem to be in a golden age of collaboration between amateur and professional astronomers. Given the large number of amateurs around the world with excellent optics, mounts, cameras, and software, new events are more likely to be observed first by an amateur with an 11- or 14-inch telescope than by an over-subscribed big professional telescope with a years-long waiting list for precious observing time. And with high-speed internet connections, data and pictures fly around the world almost instantaneously, so when something really interesting happens, the big scopes can be pointed in the right direction pretty quickly.

With my little 5-inch schmidt-cassegrain telescope, I'm not going to be making any significant contributions any time soon, but I can dream.

[orin stepanek]

If Saturn had a solid surface under the clouds; I would suggest maybe the white band would be a volcanic plume that is taken by the winds going around the planet. Surly something under the cloud tops is creating this phenomena?

[Chris Peterson]

If Saturn had a solid surface under the clouds; I would suggest maybe the white band would be a volcanic plume that is taken by the winds going around the planet. Surly something under the cloud tops is creating this phenomena? :?

It's reasonable to assume that the phenomenon involves the next lower cloud layer as well, which cannot be seen, at least in visible light.

[NoelC]

We seem to be in a golden age of collaboration between amateur and professional astronomers. Given the large number of amateurs around the world with excellent optics, mounts, cameras, and software, new events are more likely to be observed first by an amateur with an 11- or 14-inch telescope than by an over-subscribed big professional telescope with a years-long waiting list for precious observing time. And with high-speed internet connections, data and pictures fly around the world almost instantaneously, so when something really interesting happens, the big scopes can be pointed in the right direction pretty quickly.

With my little 5-inch schmidt-cassegrain telescope, I'm not going to be making any significant contributions any time soon, but I can dream.

Well said, Anthony!

And don't be too sure you can't contribute... Point your scope at places people don't usually look. Leave the big, bright, spectacular objects to the masses. You never know, a comet or NEO or nova or gas bubble or previously unnamed planetary nebula or who KNOWS what might just show up.

-Noel

[neufer]

Surly something under the cloud tops is creating this phenomena?

"Hey, Surly only looks out for one guy ... Surly!"