Space Shot of the Day: Unusual Auroras Over Saturn's North Pole

Here's an infrared image of Saturn's north pole surrounded by auroral rings in full circle, unlike the ones that are far more tamed by magnetic fields that we're used to seeing. According to NASA, the large size and variable patterns of these auroras indicate that "charged particles streaming in from the Sun are experiencing some type of magnetism above Saturn that was previously unexpected." The image was captured in 2008 by Cassini spacecraft, which arrived in Saturn's orbit in 2004 and still remains active to this day.

Space Shot of the Day is a feature series following the latest developments in planetary science, astrophotography, space exploration, future plans for colonization and all things related to outer space.