Space scientists unveil spectacularly detailed looks at Saturn

By Dean Murray

Space scientists have revealed the most detailed portrait of Saturn ever.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope and Hubble Space Telescope have teamed up to capture new views of the planet, revealing it in strikingly different ways.

The space agency said by blending complementary infrared and visible‑light views, the two space observatories have provided researchers with a richer, more layered understanding of the gas giant’s atmosphere.

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Hubble captured subtle colour variations across Saturn’s cloud bands, while Webb was able to sense clouds and atmospheric chemicals at different depths, from deep cloud layers to the upper atmosphere.

Together they allow scientists to examine Saturn’s atmosphere as a three‑dimensional system, expanding on earlier data collected by NASA’s Cassini orbiter between 1997 and 2017.

NASA said: "Hubble’s observations of Saturn for decades have built a record of its evolving atmosphere. Programs like OPAL, with its annual monitoring, are allowing scientists to track storms, banding patterns, and seasonal shifts over time.

"Webb now adds powerful infrared capabilities to this ongoing record, extending what researchers can measure about Saturn’s atmospheric structure and dynamic processes."