Saturn System
The sixth planet from the Sun. Saturn is a gas giant, second only in size to Jupiter with a diameter more than 9 times that of Earth. It has a spectacular system of rings and a large collection of moons (23 currently known). Saturn also has the most flattened shape of any of the major planets. Its average density is so low that if placed in a big enough tub of water, it would easily float. Saturn's atmosphere consists of 96.3% hydrogen and 3.25% helium, with traces of methane, ammonia, ethane, ethylene, and phosphine. Because Saturn is colder than Jupiter, the more colorful chemicals sink lower in its atmosphere and can't be seen. At Saturn's center is believed to lie a core of rocky material about the size of the Earth, but more dense. Around this is a metallic hydrogen shell some 30,000 km deep, surmounted, in turn, by a region composed of liquid hydrogen and helium with a gaseous atmosphere some 1,000 km deep.
(For further details see Saturn »)
(Source: The Internet Encyclopedia of Science »)
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Featured Video
Talk: Cassini Explores The Saturn System (74...
A glistening spaceship, with seven lonely years and billions of miles behind it, glides into orbit around a ringed, softly-hued planet. A flying-saucer shaped machine descends... More »
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Featured News
"Ingredients for Life" Present on Saturn's...
LONDON (Feb. 8, 2010) – Some of ‘the major ingredients for life’ are present on one of Saturn’s moons, according to UCL scientists. A team from the... More »
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Featured News
Glint of Sunlight Confirms Liquid in Northern...
PASADENA, CA (Dec. 17, 2009) – NASA's Cassini Spacecraft has captured the first flash of sunlight reflected off a lake on Saturn's moon Titan, confirming the presence of... More »
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Featured News
NASA Space Telescope Discovers Largest Ring...
NASA-JPL (Oct. 5, 2009) – NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has discovered an enormous ring around Saturn -- by far the largest of the giant planet's many rings. FIGURE CAPTION... More »
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Featured News
Cassini Reveals New Ring Quirks, Shadows...
NASA JPL (Sep. 22, 2009) – NASA scientists are marveling over the extent of ruffles and dust clouds revealed in the rings of Saturn during the planet's equinox last month.... More »
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Featured Article
Cassini Huygens Saturn Mission
On June 30, 2004, the Cassini spacecraft entered orbit around Saturn to begin the first in-depth, up-close study of the ringed planet and its domain. Mission planners expected to... More »
What caused a giant arrow-shaped cloud on Saturn's...
Last Updated on 2011-08-16 at 17:30
UCLA, (Aug. 15, 2011) – Why does Titan, Saturn's largest moon, have what looks like an enormous white arrow about the size of Texas on its surface?
A research group led... More »
"Ingredients for Life" Present on Saturn's Moon...
Last Updated on 2010-02-09 at 17:25
LONDON (Feb. 8, 2010) – Some of ‘the major ingredients for life’ are present on one of Saturn’s moons, according to UCL scientists.
A team from the... More »
Glint of Sunlight Confirms Liquid in Northern Lake...
Last Updated on 2009-12-18 at 11:57
PASADENA, CA (Dec. 17, 2009) – NASA's Cassini Spacecraft has captured the first flash of sunlight reflected off a lake on Saturn's moon Titan, confirming the presence of... More »
Cassini Huygens Saturn Mission
Last Updated on 2009-12-04 at 23:53
On June 30, 2004, the Cassini spacecraft entered orbit around Saturn to begin the first in-depth, up-close study of the ringed planet and its domain. Mission planners expected to... More »
NASA Space Telescope Discovers Largest Ring Around...
Last Updated on 2009-10-07 at 11:54
NASA-JPL (Oct. 5, 2009) – NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope has discovered an enormous ring around Saturn -- by far the largest of the giant planet's many rings.
FIGURE CAPTION... More »
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