How long is a day on Saturn? It depends on where and when

SPACE.com Staff

Date: 23 March 2011 Time: 04:43 PM ET

Saturn is sending astronomers mixed signals — radio signals, that is.

NASA's Cassini spacecraft recently found that the natural radio wave signals coming from the giant planet differ in the northern and southern hemispheres, a split that can affect how scientists measure the length of a Saturn day. But the weirdness doesn't stop there, researchers say.

The signal variations — which are controlled by the planet's rotation — also change dramatically over time, apparently in sync with the Saturnian seasons.

.... Weird Saturn Radio Signals Puzzle Astronomers | NASA & Cassini Mission | Saturn & the Solar System | LiveScience