The
longest-lived Saturn storm ever continuously observed rages on, as seen by the Cassini
spacecraft.
Scientists
have observed the monster electrical storm over the past five months, inside
the so-called "Storm Alley," spitting out lightning 10,000 times more
powerful than those seen on Earth. Such storms span thousands of miles and
generate radio bursts from the massive lightning, which are detectable by Cassini's
radio and plasma wave science experiment even when the storms are out of sight
over the horizon.
This image
of the ongoing storm was taken in late April 2008, roughly 760,000 miles (1.2
million km) from Saturn. Researchers observed similar storms in 2004 and 2006
that each lasted about a month, but the new storm continues to push the record.
— NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute and SPACE.com Staff
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science
Institute
Return each weekday for a new SPACE.com Image of the Day.
| 
