SATURN

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and is the second largest in the solar system with an equatorial diameter of 119,300 kilometers (74,130 miles). Much of what is known about the planet is due to the Voyager explorations in 1980-81. Saturn is visibly flattened at the poles, a result of the very fast rotation of the planet on its axis. Its day is 10 hours, 39 minutes long, and it takes 29.5 Earth years to rotate about the Sun. The atmosphere is primarily composed of hydrogen with small amounts of helium and methane. Saturn is the only planet less dense than water (about 30 percent less). In the unlikely event that a large enough ocean could be found, Saturn would float in it. Saturn's hazy yellow hue is marked by broad atmospheric banding similar to, but fainter than, that found on Jupiter.

Saturn Statistics

Equatorial radius (km) ............................... 60,268

Mean distance from the Sun (km) ............... 1,429,400,000

Rotational period (hours) ............................ 10.233

Orbital period (years) ............................... 29.458

Atmospheric composition Hydrogen ............................................ 97% Helium ............................................... 3%

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