Introduction
Saturn's elaborate network of rings makes it one of the most beautiful sights in the solar system. However, scientists believe that these rings are only a recent addition to the planet, forming in the last few millions years. Some even say that Saturn will not keep its rings for more than a few million years befor they either disperse or form a new moon.
Saturn's rings
Saturn is the most distinctive planet in the solar system because of its rings. What galileo once described as the planet's ears have now been revealed as a set of fantastically complex rings, each made up of thousands of bands of debris. Nobody knows for sure how Saturn got its rings. Scientists believe they are all that remains of a moon that was wrenched apart by the gravity of Saturn. Some even believe that Saturn's gravity will cause the rings to group together and eventually reform a moon. The image above shows what Saturn's rings would look like from within.
Saturn's weather
Saturn may be thought by many to be a more beautiful planet than its neighbour Jupiter, but it is no less violent. Like Jupiter, it spins so fast that it bulges at its centre, causing ferocious winds. It is made form the same material as Jupiter, and every 30 years a raging storm breaks out Saturn and spreads across the entire planet. The bands of colour on the image above shows weather patterns developing on Saturn.
Saturn's moons
Saturn has the record for most moons in the solar system. Astronomers know of the existence of 18, but there may be more. Titan is the only moon in our solar system that has a substancial atmosphere. Its clouds are too thick to see through, but scientists believe that conditions on the moon's surface are similar to those on Earth billions of years ago. In 2004, the Huygens probe landed on Titan which helped scientists to find more about Titan.
Some important facts
1) Saturn is 95 times larger than Earth. However, it has the lowest density of all the planets. Saturn is less dense than water, so if it was placed in an enormous ocean, it would float.
2) Saturn's rings are made up of tiny pieces of debris. These chunks are made up of rock and ice.
3) The spaces between the rings are caused by the gravitational pull of Saturn's moons. They move between the bands of debris, clearing a path.
Facts and Figures
Diameter: 120,536km
Distance from sun : 1427 million km
Surface temperature : -180oC (-290oF)
Surface gravity : 0.92 x Earth
Length of orbit : 10,760 Earth days
Length of day : 10 Earth hours
Mass : 95.2 x Earth
Density(water=1) : 0.69
Number of moons : 18
Number of rings : 7
Saturn's elaborate network of rings makes it one of the most beautiful sights in the solar system. However, scientists believe that these rings are only a recent addition to the planet, forming in the last few millions years. Some even say that Saturn will not keep its rings for more than a few million years befor they either disperse or form a new moon.
Saturn's rings
Saturn is the most distinctive planet in the solar system because of its rings. What galileo once described as the planet's ears have now been revealed as a set of fantastically complex rings, each made up of thousands of bands of debris. Nobody knows for sure how Saturn got its rings. Scientists believe they are all that remains of a moon that was wrenched apart by the gravity of Saturn. Some even believe that Saturn's gravity will cause the rings to group together and eventually reform a moon. The image above shows what Saturn's rings would look like from within.
Saturn's weather
Saturn may be thought by many to be a more beautiful planet than its neighbour Jupiter, but it is no less violent. Like Jupiter, it spins so fast that it bulges at its centre, causing ferocious winds. It is made form the same material as Jupiter, and every 30 years a raging storm breaks out Saturn and spreads across the entire planet. The bands of colour on the image above shows weather patterns developing on Saturn.
Saturn's moons
Saturn has the record for most moons in the solar system. Astronomers know of the existence of 18, but there may be more. Titan is the only moon in our solar system that has a substancial atmosphere. Its clouds are too thick to see through, but scientists believe that conditions on the moon's surface are similar to those on Earth billions of years ago. In 2004, the Huygens probe landed on Titan which helped scientists to find more about Titan.
Some important facts
1) Saturn is 95 times larger than Earth. However, it has the lowest density of all the planets. Saturn is less dense than water, so if it was placed in an enormous ocean, it would float.
2) Saturn's rings are made up of tiny pieces of debris. These chunks are made up of rock and ice.
3) The spaces between the rings are caused by the gravitational pull of Saturn's moons. They move between the bands of debris, clearing a path.
Facts and Figures
Diameter: 120,536km
Distance from sun : 1427 million km
Surface temperature : -180oC (-290oF)
Surface gravity : 0.92 x Earth
Length of orbit : 10,760 Earth days
Length of day : 10 Earth hours
Mass : 95.2 x Earth
Density(water=1) : 0.69
Number of moons : 18
Number of rings : 7
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