Saturn

Saturn's Rings

Saturn's

Rings

Saturn is most famous for its rings. The rings are made of rocks, ice, dust, and etc. The material found in Saturn’s rings come from asteroids, comets, and moons. Saturn’s strong gravity attracted them.

Saturn is not the only planet with rings. However, Saturn’s rings stand out more than the outer planets. Saturn’s rings are so bright and bold because of the ice. The icy material reflects light. Scientists have divided Saturn's rings into seven different sections. Scientists use letters to represent the rings, A to G. Galileo Galilei discovered the planet. He first thought that Saturn's rings were actually moons.

Saturn's Moons

Saturn's

Moons

Gas giants have many moons. For example, Saturn has a total of 62 confirmed moons. Nine of Saturn's moons have not been named yet.

Titan is Saturn's biggest moon. It is the second largest moon discovered in our solar system and bigger than both Mercury and Pluto. Titan is similar to Earth with an atmosphere composed of mainly nitrogen and has multiple bodies of water. For example, Titan has oceans, rivers, lakes, and etc. Some of Saturn's small moons help keep Saturn's rings stable and secure by orbiting in or near the rings. These moons are known as shepherd moons.

Gas Giants

Gas Giant

Saturn is one of the four gaseous planets. The four gas planets include Saturn, Jupiter, Neptune, and Uranus. On the outside of gas giants, the materials are in the form of gas. However, closer to the core the material begins to turn to liquid, forming giant oceans. Gas giants are assumed to have small, rocky cores and they have many moons. All of the gas giants have rings, however, Saturn's are more astounding than the others.

Fun Facts

Fun Facts About Saturn

• Saturn is the least dense planet in our solar system with a density of 0.687 grams/cubic centimeter. Saturn is so dense because its atmosphere is made of hydrogen. Hydrogen is the lightest known chemical.
• Saturn spins extremely fast on its axis. Do to the pressure from this, Saturn is in a shape of an oblate spheroid.
• Saturn is the second largest planet in our solar system after Jupiter.
• Saturn's winds can get up to 1,116 miles per hour.
• Saturn's atmosphere is approximately 250 miles thick.
• The top of Saturn's atmosphere is about -292 degrees Fahrenheit. Saturn's surface is about -220 degrees Fahrenheit.

“Ask an Astronomer.” Cool Cosmos, coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/ask/119-How-many-moons-does-Saturn-have-.

“Cool Cosmos.” What Are Saturn's Rings Made Of , coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/ask/109-What-are-Saturn-s-rings-made-of-.

Cain, Fraser. “Ten Interesting Facts About Saturn.” Universe Today, 5 June 2017, www.universetoday.com/15418/interesting-facts-about-saturn/.

Books:

Oxlade, Chris. “Jupiter, Neptune, and Other Outer Planets.” Earth and Space.

Freestyle, Raintree. “What Do We Know About The Solar System?” Earth, Space, and Beyond.

"The Solar System and the Stars." 21st Century Science.

Sources

Images:

https://digitalindiapreview.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/Saturn-rings-1.jpg

https://vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/galnet/images/9/94/33860559382_99d998dcd7_b.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20180702205532

https://www.universetoday.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/gas_sizes.jpg

http://science4fun.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Internal-Structure-of-Saturn.jpg