Changing colors on Saturn, observed by NASA's Cassini spacecraft could be the results of changing seasons on the planet, according to new images released by the space agency.
While earthlings experienced the changing leaves and pumpkin spice lattes associated with the arrival of fall, it has been a very long winter on Saturn.
Recommended Videos
NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, currently studying Saturn and its moons, observed changing colors swirling in a hexagon shape on the planet's north pole between 2012 and 2015, as seen in the photos above.
The change from blue to a golden color might be due to the increased amounts of photochemical hazes in Saturn’s atmosphere as the pole near summer solstice next year, NASA said.
Planetary scientists believe that the color-changing hexagon could be an effect of Saturn’s seasons, primarily the seven-year winter between November 1995 and August 2009.
During that time, Saturn's atmosphere above the north pole "became clear of aerosols produced by photochemical reactions -- reactions involving sunlight and the atmosphere," NASA said.
Since Saturn experienced equinox, when the sun crosses the equator and day and night are equal, in 2009, the atmosphere has been soaked in sunshine and particles in gas are being created inside the hexagon making the polar atmosphere hazy, according to the image release.
During the seven-year long winter on Saturn, the atmosphere didn’t have the same chemical reactions produced by continuous sun, making it appear different than what Cassini saw more recently in 2015.
Cassini launched from Cape Canaveral in 1997 and has been studying Saturn, its rings and moons for 12 years.
The mission grand finale starts next year when the spacecraft begins diving in between Saturn and its inner rings.