Saturn's hexagonal clouds turn yellow as the seasons change

Increased sunlight as Jupiter transitions into summer creates aerosols within the hexagonal cloud, causing it to turn yellow.

Saturn's hexagonal cloud cover changes from green to yellow as the seasons change. Photo: NASA.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft captured an image of a hexagonal cloud at Saturn's north pole changing from blue to yellow, CNN reported.

"The color change is thought to be the result of changing seasons on the planet," NASA said.

Saturn has four seasons, each lasting about seven Earth years. Its atmosphere is dominated by photochemical smog or particles. In winter, photochemical particles cannot form due to the lack of sunlight. They also cannot move due to the hexagonal cloud.

"The hexagonal cloud acts as a barrier. When there are no particles generated inside, the atmosphere becomes clear and the interior is blue," explained Sayanagi, associate professor at Hampton University, USA.

However, Jupiter will enter summer from May 2017. Particles are accumulating inside the hexagonal cloud, causing it to turn yellow.

"After the equinox in August 2009, the continuous sunlight shining on the polar atmosphere and the aerosols created inside the hexagonal cloud made the atmosphere here hazy," said experts at NASA.

According to VNE