Backyard Astronomer Co-Discovers Rare 10-Sided Wave on Saturn

Backyard Astronomy Leads to Planetary Discovery

Trevor Barry, a former miner, has tracked planetary movements from his homemade observatory in Broken Hill since the early 2000s. In 2024, Barry noticed a subtle ripple developing around Saturn’s southern polar region. He shared these initial findings with Agustín Sánchez-Lavega, a researcher at the University of the Basque Country in Spain.

Barry had collaborated with Sánchez-Lavega since 2008. While Barry initially called the anomaly a ripple, Sánchez-Lavega recognized its potential significance and urged continued monitoring. French amateur astronomer Jean-Paul Oger also contributed ground-based images through the Planetary Virtual Observatory Laboratory, a platform managed by the University of the Basque Country.

Hubble Confirms a 10-Sided Decagon Wave

Observations from NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope confirmed that the feature forms a distinct geometric pattern with 10 sides, known scientifically as a decagon. According to NASA, this structure is the first large, regular-sided jet pattern identified in Saturn’s southern hemisphere. Unlike Saturn’s famous six-sided northern hexagon, this southern wave features ten distinct sides.

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Data from NASA’s Outer Planet Atmospheres Legacy (OPAL) program revealed that the decagon extends through multiple atmospheric layers. Researchers analyzing Hubble data found that while the feature appeared much sharper in later observations, subtle traces were already visible in 2023 datasets. This multi-year record allowed scientists to study the development of the atmospheric wave rather than relying on a single snapshot.

Comparing Saturn’s North and South Poles

Saturn’s north pole has hosted a famous six-sided atmospheric feature since NASA’s Voyager spacecraft spotted the hexagon during flybys in 1980 and 1981. Planetary scientists searched for a southern counterpart for decades following Hubble observations that began in 1990. Even NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, which studied Saturn from 2004 to 2017, did not detect a comparable long-lived formation in the south.

Region	Geometric Shape	Discovery Method
North Pole	6-sided Hexagon	NASA Voyager Flybys (1980-1981)
South Pole	10-sided Decagon	Amateur Telescope & Hubble OPAL Program

The newly identified decagon differs from historical discoveries because researchers can watch it evolve and strengthen in real time. Because Saturn’s south pole was obscured from Earth for a period leading up to 2023—and Cassini’s mission ended in 2017—scientists cannot pinpoint the exact moment the decagon formed.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the 10-sided wave on Saturn?

It is a large decagon-shaped atmospheric wave embedded within Saturn’s powerful southern jet streams, extending through multiple atmospheric layers.

Who discovered Saturn’s southern decagon?

Amateur astronomer Trevor Barry first spotted the ripple from his backyard observatory in Broken Hill, Australia, prompting professional confirmation via NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope.

How does this compare to Saturn’s north pole?

While the north pole features a famous six-sided hexagon discovered by Voyager in the early 1980s, the south pole features a newly confirmed 10-sided decagon wave.

Future Monitoring and Research

Scientists plan to use further observations from Hubble and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, alongside computer modeling, to investigate the atmospheric dynamics driving the pattern. Researchers want to determine how long the decagon will survive and whether it will stabilize like the northern hexagon. Meanwhile, Barry continues to monitor Saturn from his backyard observatory in New South Wales as the international scientific community tracks the evolution of the planet’s atmosphere.