Statistics
Saturn is the second largest planet in our solar system, measuring 74,897 miles in diameter. It is, on average, 888,187,982 miles from the sun. Saturn takes 29.5 years for the Earth to complete one revolution around the Sun. it revolves once on its axis every 10 and 2/3 hours, and revolves on its axis 2533 degrees. Saturn radiates more heat than it receives from the sun. The core temperature is 21,140 degrees Fahrenheit. Saturn has a density less than water, at .687g/cubic centimeter, but 95 times more mass than Earth.
Composition
Saturn is a gas planet with a hot, molten iron and rocky core. Surrounding the core is a layer of liquid water, ammonia, and methane. A metallic consequence, liquid hydrogen lies between the core and the atmosphere. Its atmosphere consists of 96.3% hydrogen, 3.25% helium, and the remaining .45% are trace elements, including acetylene, ammonia, phosphine, ethane, ammonium hydrosulfide and methane.
Clouds
Saturn’s aether is composed of scattered clouds that follow the rotation of the planet. The bottom layer consists of six thousand feet of water ice, which is -9 degrees Fahrenheit. The next layer, which consists of hydrosulfide of ammonia ice, is about 31 miles thick and is -134 degrees Fahrenheit. The next layer, which consists of ammonia ice, is about 50 miles thick and -243 degrees Fahrenheit. The outer shell, consisting of hydrogen and helium, is about 124 to 167 miles thick.
Monday
Saturn has sixty-one planets and moons. Saturn’s largest orbiting moon, Titania, measures 3,200 miles in diameter and orbits 759,210 miles from the planet. The Titan was called by the giants in Greek mythology Titan, who wanted to rule the heavens, but was imprisoned. Jupiter Titan is the only moon in the solar system with a significant atmosphere, composed of nitrogen, argon and methane. A thick layer of smogy clouds overshadows the surface of the moon Titan.
Three of the sixty-one moons, Atlas, Prometheus, and Pandora, scientists believe helped to maintain the ring system. Called the high Greek god who held the sky on his shoulder, the moon is uneven, measuring 23 x 21 x 16 feet in diameter orbiting 85,525 miles from Saturn. A ring rings around Saturn. Prometheus, called Titania, who stole from the gods and gave to humanity, measures 90 x 53 x 38 miles in diameter and orbits 86,588 miles from the planet. The F-circle feeds Saturn. Pandora is named after the mythological woman who released all plagues on humanity, measures 70 x 52 x 38 in diameter, and orbits 88,048 miles from Saturn. Even the ring shepherds f.
Rings
Behind Saturn’s prominence is its ring system. It has three major bands and four fainter rings, three of which are visible from an Earth-based telescope. They are composed of billions of rocks orbiting that planet, measuring from a few inches to a thousand in diameter. The rings are only about 3,280 feet thick, but measure 155,342 miles wide. The particles and rocks themselves consist of ice-covered rocks and frozen water.
Invention and Namesake
Saturn’s name comes from the Roman god of agriculture, Saturn, who was the offspring of Uranus and Gaia and his father Jupiter. His Greek is Kronos, and our seventh day of the week, Saturday, is derived from this mythological figure. . The Babylonians called this planet Ninurta and the Hindus call Shani the judge among all the planets.
Saturn is the last planet visible to the naked eye, although you need a telescope to see its rings.
References
“Saturnia”; Wikipedia.org
“Saturnia”; AbsoluteAstronomy.org Arnett, Bill; “Saturnia”; NinePlanets.org; 2005
Spinrad, Hyron; “Saturnia”; World Book Online Reference Center; 2004
“Atlas”; AbsoluteAstronomy.com
“Atlas”; NinePlanets.org
“Prometheus”; NinePlanets.org
“Pandora”; NinePlanets.org
“Titan”; NinePlanets.org
