NASA’s Webb captured something unusual in Saturn’s upper atmosphere. Images were captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). Existing models of planetary atmospheres were challenged when the telescope detected drifting “dark beads” in the ionosphere and a star-shaped pattern in the stratosphere.
Who made these discoveries?
The findings were presented by Professor Tom Stallard of Northumbria University at the EPSC-DPS 2025 Joint Meeting in Helsinki. The international team included 23 researchers from the UK, United States, and France.
The team conducted a 10-hour observation of Saturn on 29 November 2024 using JWST’s Near Infrared Spectrograph. The instrument detected emissions from H₃⁺ ions in the ionosphere and methane in the stratosphere, providing unprecedented sensitivity to subtle atmospheric features.
Saturn’s dark beads and their significance
The “dark beads” appeared embedded within bright auroras in the ionosphere, drifting slowly over time. Meanwhile, the stratosphere revealed a complex star-shaped structure, with four dark bands extending from Saturn’s polar region, possibly linked to the planet’s famous hexagonal storm.
These observations are the first of their kind on any planet. They indicate interactions between different atmospheric layers. The findings challenge current models of Saturn’s atmospheric behaviour, suggesting new mechanisms may be at play.
How might this change our understanding of Saturn?
By revealing patterns invisible to previous telescopes, JWST opens a new window into planetary atmospheres. Understanding these features could shed light on the behaviour of auroras, ionospheres, and the mysterious hexagonal storm, providing insights applicable to other gas giants.
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