Wednesday, March 28, 2007

A Hex on Saturn?

Cassini has sent us pictures of odd hexagonal shapes in the clouds over Saturn's north pole. This isn't a maybe-kinda-if-you-squint-funny thing like the face on Mars. These are serious, regular shapes, almost identical in the lengths of their sides and immediately obvious to the casual observer.

So what are they? A star gate? It's interesting to note that Saturn's moons may have icy surfaces, something interstellar travelers might find useful for a cosmic pit-stop. And, contrary to the way most games work things, because of the way dense objects bend space-time, it might actually be easier, not harder, to enter and exit hyperspace the closer you are to a large gravity well. With its flashy rings, making it easy to spot in a crowded solar system, Saturn might be the perfect place to stick such a gate.

Maybe the hexagons are the seal on a prison of a Great Old One. The planet has long been associated with primordial fertility deities. It's zodiacal properties are capricious and potent.

In any case, until NASA explains exactly what's going on up there, you can have all sorts of fun with this little fact in your sci-fi, weird history, or supernatural games. Enjoy!

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