| Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system. It is the only planet that is less dense than water. It has 18 confirmed satellites and astronomers believe that there may be new moons. Saturn is flattened at the poles as a result of the very fast rotation of the planet on its axis. It is known for its beautiful rings. Saturn has an atmosphere similar to that of Jupiter. Wind blowing near the equator of Saturn has a velocity of 1800 kilometers per hour, which is stronger than all other planets. Liquid hydrogen and helium can be found under the thick layer of clouds. Saturn's rings are the most prominent among all planets. The composition of the rings are uncertain but a they do show a significant amount of water. Saturn's rings are split into different parts. The A and B rings are brighter and the C ring is fainter. There are several gaps in the ring system. The noticible gap between the A ring and the B ring is called Cassini Division, which was discovered by Giovanni Cassini in 1675. The Encke Division splits the A Ring and it is named after Johann Encke, who discovered it in 1837. It is believed that the rings may have been formed from larger moons that were shattered by of comets and meteoroids. The outermost ring is called the F ring. It is a complex structure made up of two narrow, braided rings along which "knots" are visible. |
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Saturn Statistics:
Mass (kg): 5.69x1026 Diameter (km): 120660 Average Density (kg/m3): 690 Escape Velocity (m/sec): 35600 Rotation Period (Earth days): 10.2 Tilt of Axis (o): 26.7 Orbit inclination (o): 2.49 Average Surface Temperature (oF): -288 Atmospheric Components: 97% Hydrogen, 3% Helium, small amount of methane Number of Satellites: 18 (Atlas, Calypso, Dione, Enceladus, Epimetheus, Helene, Hyperion, Iapetus, Janus, Mimas, Pan, Pandora, Phoebe, Prometheus, Rhea, Telesto, Tethys, Titan) Number of Rings: 7 (A-F) |
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Saturn's Satellites
| Moon | Radius(km) | Mass(kg) | Distance(km) | Discoverer | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas | 20x25 | ? | 137,640 | R. Terrile | 1980 |
| Calypso | 17x11x11 | ? | 294,660 | B. Smith | 1980 |
| Dione | 560 | 1.05e+21 | 377,400 | G. Cassini | 1684 |
| Enceladus | 250 | 8.40e+19 | 238,020 | W. Herschel | 1789 |
| Epimetheus | 71x54x49 | 5.6e+17 | 151,422 | R. Walker | 1966 |
| Helene | 18x16x15 | ? | 377,400 | Laques-Lecacheux | 1980 |
| Hyperion | 205x130x110 | 1,481,000 | 1,070,000 | W. Bond | 1848 |
| Iapetus | 730 | 1.88e+21 | 3,561,300 | G. Cassini | 1671 |
| Janus | 98x96x75 | 2.01e+18 | 151,472 | A. Dollfus | 1966 |
| Mimas | 196 | 3.80e+19 | 185,520 | W. Herschel | 1789 |
| Pan | 9.655 | ? | 133,583 | M. Showalter | 1990 |
| Pandora | 57x42x31 | 2.2e+17 | 141,700 | S. Collins | 1980 |
| Phoebe | 110 | 4.0e+18 | 12,952,000 | W. Pickering | 1898 |
| Prometheus | 72.5x42.5x32.5 | 2.7e+17 | 139,350 | S. Collins | 1980 |
| Rhea | 55x45 | 2.49e+21 | 527,040 | G. Cassini | 1672 |
| Telesto | 17x14x13 | ? | 294,660 | B. Smith | 1980 |
| Tethys | 530 | 7.55e+20 | 294,660 | G. Cassini | 1684 |
| Titan | 2,575 | 1.35e+23 | 1,221,850 | C. Huygens | 1655 |
Saturn's Rings
| Name | Distance (km) | Width (km) | Thickness (km) | Mass (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| D | 67,000 | 7,500 | ? | ? |
| C | 74,500 | 17,500 | ? | 1.1x1018 |
| Maxwell Gap | 87,500 | 270 | ||
| B | 92,000 | 25,500 | 0.1-1 | 2.8x1019 |
| Cassini Div | 117,500 | 4,700 | ? | 5.7x1017 |
| A | 122,200 | 14,600 | 0.1-1 | 6.2x1018 |
| Encke gap | 133,570 | 325 | ||
| Keeler gap | 136,530 | 35 | ||
| F | 140,210 | 30-500 | ? | ? |
| G | 165,800 | 8,000 | 100-1000 | 6-23x106 |
| E | 180,000 | 300,000 | 1,000 | ? |