Saturn: The Spectacular Ringed Planet

Introduction

The solar system has eight planets; Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. Of these eight planets, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are known as gas planets, which means that they are made up of mostly hydrogen and helium and they don’t have a distinct surface. These four planets are also the only planets with rings around them. Although Jupiter is the largest of the four gas planets, Saturn’s rings are the biggest and most dazzling. Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and has been known for thousands of years, but the rings weren’t discovered until 1610. Saturn has many characteristics, it interacts with the Sun and its moons, and the missions to Saturn have provided scientists with so much helpful information.

Characteristics

Saturn’s distance from the Sun averages at about 886 million miles. Saturn is made up of mostly hydrogen and helium and besides Jupiter, it spins faster than any other planet. Saturn was named for Cronus, lord of the Titans in Greek mythology (www.space.com). Saturn has fifty-three known moons, but there are a few that have yet to be officially named moons. Titan is Saturn’s largest moon and is the second largest moon in the solar system. Saturn’s moons are made of more ice than the moon on Earth and they have temperatures that can range anywhere from -145 degrees Celsius to -220 degrees Celsius, its brightest moons being the coldest. Titan is made up of mostly Nitrogen and it is the only moon with an atmosphere. One day on Titan is the same as sixteen Earth days. Bits and pieces of Saturn’s rings orbit like tiny moons and the rings are thought to have formed because one or more small moons broke up close to Saturn (www.saturn.jpl.nasa.gov).

It is estima...

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...Huygens Mission in 2004. This was the fourth mission. The main mission made by Cassini has been completed, but will still orbit and study Saturn until 2017. Many discoveries, including oceans and seas of hydrocarbons on Titan, new moons, and new rings, have emerged because of the Cassini/Huygens Mission (www.universetoday.com).

Conclusion

Saturn has many interesting characteristics, it interacts with the Sun and its moons, and the missions to Saturn have provided scientists with abundant information. The sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the solar system is Saturn. Saturn displays its stunning rings, making it one of the most interesting planets. Saturn has fifty-three known moons, more than any other planet, and as a result of quite a few missions, countless new facts about Saturn have been discovered and are still being discovered today.