Nasa’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured stunning new images of Saturn in such detail that even its faint inner rings are visible.
When the planet was tilted towards Earth, 845,064,821 miles away, the telescope took the photos that previously would only be possible if a spacecraft visited the gas giant.
This is the second photo of the Saturn in a new yearly series, with astronomers saying this year it has been showcased in unprecedented clarity..
“These images are more than just beauty shots,” Nasa said in a statement. “They reveal a planet with a turbulent, dynamic atmosphere.
“This year… shows that a large storm visible in the 2018 Hubble image in the north polar region has vanished.
“Smaller storms pop into view like popcorn kernels popping in a microwave oven before disappearing just as quickly.”
But, there are some things that haven’t changed.
A mysterious six-sided pattern, called the “hexagon”, first spotted in 1981 by Nasa’s Voyager 1 spacecraft, caused by a high-speed jet stream, still exists on the north pole.
Astronomers added that Saturn's signature rings are still as stunning as ever.
"The image reveals that the ring system is tilted toward Earth, giving viewers a magnificent look at the bright, icy structure," they said.
Nasa will continue its yearly monitoring to track shifting weather patterns and identify other changes.
