New Hubble Telescope image of Saturn reveals mysterious features

A singular caller image of Saturn was captured by nan Hubble Space Telescope. 

NASA said successful a merchandise past week that nan images people nan commencement of nan planet's "spoke season" surrounding its equinox. The said play is erstwhile enigmatic features are visible crossed nan planet's rings, though nan origin of nan spokes has yet to beryllium afloat explained. 

Because Saturn is tilted connected its axis, it has 4 seasons, for illustration Earth. However, owed to Saturn's overmuch larger orbit, each play lasts for astir 7 Earth years. The equinox occurs erstwhile nan rings are titled edge-on to nan sun. The spokes will vanish erstwhile it is adjacent summertime aliases wintertime solstice there. 

The spokes are expected to go progressively salient arsenic nan autumnal equinox of Saturn's Northern Hemisphere connected May 6, 2025 draws near. 

NEIL DEGRASSE TYSON SAYS JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE IS WINDOW TO UNIVERSE 'NEVER BEFORE ACHIEVED'

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has study clip devoted to Saturn each year, acknowledgment to nan Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program, and nan move state elephantine satellite ever shows america thing new. (Credits: NASA, ESA, and Amy Simon (NASA-GSFC); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI))

The origin of nan spokes is suspected to beryllium nan planet's magnetic field. The spokes were first observed by NASA's Voyager ngo successful nan early 1980s. 

HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE REVEALS STUNNING STAR-STUDDED CLUSTER

A exemplary of nan Cassini spacecraft is seen astatine NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) Sept. 13, 2017, successful Pasadena, California.  ((ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images))

"Despite years of fantabulous observations by nan Cassini mission, nan precise opening and long of nan said play is still unpredictable, alternatively for illustration predicting nan first large wind during hurricane season," NASA elder planetary intelligence Amy Simon, caput of nan Hubble Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program, said successful a statement. 

Saturn's past equinox occurred successful 2009, erstwhile nan Cassini spacecraft was orbiting nan state giant. 

An astronaut aboard nan abstraction shuttle Atlantis captured this image of nan Hubble Space Telescope connected May 19, 2009. (NASA)

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

"It's a fascinating magic instrumentality of quality we only spot connected Saturn – for now astatine least," Simon said.