Mauna Kea astronomers discover Saturn hot spot

Astronomers on Mauna Kea found a compact hot spot at the planet's south pole and the first warm polar vortex to ever be detected in the solar system.

Astronomers working atop Mauna Kea have discovered a strange thermal hot spot on the tip of Saturn's south pole.

New infrared images taken with the giant Keck I telescope suggest a warm polar vortex, the first discovered in the solar system.

The polar vortex and hot spot -- believed to contain the highest measured temperatures on Saturn -- are described in a paper that appears in the Feb. 4 issue of Science magazine. A polar vortex is a persistent, large-scale weather pattern, much like a jet stream on Earth. On our planet, the Arctic polar vortex typically blasts cold air over the northern plains. The Antarctic polar vortex is responsible for trapping air and creating unusual phenomena such as the "ozone hole."