The
Saturn is sixth planet from the Sun in our solar system. The Saturn is second
largest planet in our solar system. The Saturn named after the Roman god of
agriculture, who is equated with the Greek deity Cronus, one of the titans and
father of Zeus (Roman god Jupiter). As like the Jupiter, the Saturn is a gas
giant and the composition of the Saturn is dominated by hydrogen. As we look
the composition of Saturn, the Saturn is also failed star. The pressure is not
enough to become a star on hydrogen. But the pressure is enough to convert
hydrogen into liquid metallic hydrogen. The liquid metallic hydrogen drive to
generate strong magnetic field. The distance between Saturn and the Sun is
1.434 billion kilometers. The Saturn requires 29 years to complete one orbit
around the sun.
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| The Saturn second largest planet in our solar system. |
The
Saturn least dense planet in our solar system. Although Saturn may have a
dense, solid core, the large gaseous outer layer of the planet, it makes
planet’s average density a more 687 kg per m3. So, this density is
lighter than the water. So, if we put Saturn on water, it floats on the water.
The Saturn spins around its axis of rotation very fast. So, the day on the
Saturn is 10 hours and 14 minutes. Saturn is 9.45 times wider and 95 times more
massive than the Earth.
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| Saturn: Ringed planet |
The
most beautiful part about the Saturn is the Ring. The Saturn is known as
‘Ringed Planet’. Saturn has many rings consisting of small icy bodies. Saturn
has more than 80 moons orbiting around. The Titan, second largest moon in our
solar system after the Ganymede moon of the Jupiter. The Titan has an extensive
and dense atmosphere than Earth.
Inner Composition of the Saturn
The
gas giant Saturn contains many of the same components as the Sun has. The
Saturn composed with simple molecules such as hydrogen and helium along with
ice of ammonia, ice of methane and water ice. Saturn has atmosphere of thick
layer of clouds. Under these clouds as goes deep inside the pressure increases.
With increase in pressure the hydrogen gas changes its original gaseous form to
liquid hydrogen. And as goes deeper inside hydrogen loses the electron and the
liquid hydrogen becomes liquid metallic hydrogen. Now hydrogen behaves like a
metal, has metallic properties. The metallic hydrogen acts as a dynamo,
creating the magnetic field not stronger than the Jupiter.
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| The inner composition of the Saturn. |
The
Saturn has less liquid metallic hydrogen than the Jupiter. So, the magnetic
field of Saturn is not as strong as the Jupiter. But there is more ice. So, the less liquid
metallic hydrogen, smaller the magnetosphere. The core of Saturn is suspected
to have a rocky. The hydrogen and helium are surrounded around the core. The
core might be solid, is still up for debate. Though composed of rocky material,
the core itself may be liquid.
Atmosphere of the Saturn
The
atmosphere of Saturn is mainly composed of hydrogen and helium. The hydrogen is
71% and helium is 28% by mass. Viewed from the Earth, Saturn is an oval hazy
yellow-brown coloured. The cloud of the Saturn consists of small-scale
features, such as red, brown and white spots, bands, eddies and vortices that
vary over a fairly short time.
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| The Storm on the Saturn |
The
Saturn’s atmosphere mostly composed of molecular hydrogen and helium. According
to some studies by scientists, helium may have settled out of Saturn’s outer
layers. Along with the hydrogen and helium some other major molecules observed
in Saturn’s atmosphere are methane and ammonia. The hydrogen sulfide and water
are also suspected to be present in the deeper atmosphere but have not yet been
detected. Saturn has atmosphere as like Jupiter and our Sun. So as like
Jupiter, the Saturn is also a failed star. Saturn’s axis is tilted by 26.73
degrees with respect to its orbit around the Sun. So, the Saturn experiences
seasons.
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| The Hexagonal storm at the poles of the Saturn. |
Saturn’s
north pole is so interesting, the voyager I spacecraft noticed the six-sided
jet stream, the hexagonal shaped. The Cassini spacecraft then closely observed
the hexagonal shaped storm. Spinning about 20,000 miles or 30,000 kilometers
approximately. The hexagon is a wavy jet stream of 200 miles per hour winds
(about 322 kilometers per hours) with a massive, rotating storm at the center.
There is no weather like Saturn anywhere else in our solar system.
Rings of the Saturn
The
Saturn has most extensive ring system of any other planet in our solar system.
The particles in the ring are made almost entirely of water ice with a trace of
rocky material. There is no any specific explanation of formation of these
beautiful rings. The rings are almost made of water ice. The light from the Sun
reflects from ice. So, reflection from the rings increases Saturn’s brightness,
but they are not visible from the Earth. The Galileo Galilei is first person to
observe Saturn’s rings. But he could not see the true nature of the rings.
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| The Ring of the Saturn |
The
Saturn’s rings are made up of a series of tiny ringlets. The rings have
numerous gaps. The gaps has less density of particles. The gaps are embedded
with moons. But this is also true that every gap does not have a moon, these
gaps are unexplained. As the Saturn tilted at approximately 27 degrees on its
axis of rotation, the rings are also tilted at 27 degrees. The rings are
orbiting above Saturn’s equator. The rings of Saturn are named alphabetically
in the order they were discovered A, B, C, D, E, F and G. The thickness of the
ring is only about 30 to 300 feet.
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| All Rings of the Saturn. |
The
D ring is closest to the planet. The D ring starts from 66,900 km and ends at
74,510 km. After the D ring C ring comes. The C ring is second ring from Saturn.
The C ring is spread between 74,658 km to 92,00 km. The B ring is next to the C
ring, third from the planet. The B ring is spread from 92,000 km to 117,580 km.
Now there is a gap between ring B and ring A. The gap is known as ‘Cassini
Division’. This name is given after the Giovanni Cassini. The Cassini Division
is spread between 117,580 km to 122,170 km. After this Cassini Division, ring A
starts. The ring A is starts from 122,170km and it end136,775 km. After the
ring A there is another gap present. This gap is known as Roche Division. This
Roche Division is named after Edouard Roche. This gap is spread between 136,775
km to 139,380 km. After the Roche Division, the ring F starts. The F ring is
spread between 140,180 km to 149,000 km. After F ring there is another ring
present known as Janus/Epimetheus Ring. This ring is named after the Janus and
Epimetheus. This ring is starts from 149,000 km to 154,000 km. After Janus and
Epimetheus ring, the G ring starts. The G ring starts from 166,000 km to 175,000
km. After the ring G there is ring Arc is present. This Methone Ring Arc is
spread from 175,000 km to 194,230 km. This Ring is named after Methone. After
this Methone ring Arc, another ring arc is starts. This ring Arc is known as
Anthe Ring Arc. This Anthe ring arc is named after Anthe. This arc is spread
from 194,230 km to 197,665 km. Now after Anthe Ring Arc, the Pallene Ring
starts. This Pallene ring is spread from 211,000 km to 213,500 km. This ring is
named after Pallene. Now the Ring E, it starts from 180,000 km and ends at
480,000 km. The last ring is Phoehe Ring. This ring is named after Phehe ring
is spread from approximately 4,000,000 km to less than 13,000,000 km.
Orbit of the Saturn around the Sun
The
Saturn required 29 years to complete one orbit around the Sun. Saturn spins
around its rotational axis very faster. So, at the poles, Saturn slightly flat.
The Saturn’s axis is tilted by 26.73 degrees with respect to its orbit around
the Sun, which is much similar to Earth’s 23.5-degree tilt. So as like Earth,
Saturn experiences seasons. After the Jupiter, Saturn has second shortest day
in the solar system. The day on the Saturn takes only 10.7 hours. The distance
of Saturn from the Sun is 886 million miles or 1.4 billion kilometers. Because
Saturn’s orbit is elliptical. The Perihelion is 1.35 billion km and the
Aphelion is 1.509 billion km.
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| The Orbit of the Saturn |
Magnetic Field of the Saturn
The
Saturn has a second largest, intense and complex magnetic field after the
Jupiter in our solar system. As compared with magnetosphere of Jupiter, Saturn
has second largest magnetosphere, located at a distance of about 20 Saturn
radii from the planet’s centre. The magnetosphere of Saturn is filled with
plasmas originating from both the Saturn and its moon. The main source of
Saturn’s magnetic field is the liquid metallic hydrogen continuously rotating
at core of Saturn. The metallic liquid then generates strongest magnetic field
and largest magnetosphere. The Saturn has less amount of liquid metallic
hydrogen than the Jupiter. So, the magnetic field is not as strong as the
Jupiter creates.
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| The Magnetic field of the Saturn |
The
magnetic field of Saturn crates the magnetosphere. The solar wind interacts
with magnetosphere of Saturn, generates bright oval aurorae around the planet’s
poles. The aurorae are related to the powerful saturnian kilometric radiation.
The aurorae of Saturn are highly variable. Their location and brightness are
depending mainly on the pressure of solar wind. When pressure of solar wind
increases, the aurorae becomes brighter and closer to the poles.
The
large amount of solid bodies orbiting, including the moons as well as ring
particles around the Saturn, exerts a strong influence on the magnetosphere of
Saturn. The ring particles and a greater number of moons only passively absorb
plasma and energetic charged particles, three moons, Enceladus, Titan and Dione
are significant sources of new plasma. This absorption of energetic particles
crates gaps in the radiation belt of Saturn, near the orbits of the moons.
Moons of the Saturn
The
Saturn has large amount of solid bodies orbiting around. The Saturn has 82
moons with confirmed orbits, that are not embedded in Saturn’s ring. The 13
moons have diameter greater than 50 kilometers. The 53 moons of Saturn are
confirmed and named. Remaining 29 moons are awaiting confirmation of official
naming.
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| The moons of the Saturn |
Titan the largest moon of the Saturn
The
Titan is the largest moon of the Saturn and second largest moon in our solar
system after Ganymede, moon of the Jupiter. The Titan is only moon have dense
atmosphere. After Earth, where clear evidence of stable bodies of surface
liquid has been found. The nitrogen in Titan’s atmosphere is denser that a
human wouldn’t need a pressure suit to walk on surface. But need an oxygen mask
and protection against the cold. Temperature of Titan is 179 degree Celsius
negative.
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| The Titan: Moon of the Saturn |
The
Titan is tidally locked in synchronous rotation with Saturn. So, the one
surface is always at the Saturn. The tidally locked satellite can still
experience tides. Because Titan’s orbit is elliptical, the gravitational
influence of Saturn from near to far side of the Titan varies throughout its
orbit, this causes the deformation of planet, as like our moon.
The
Titan’s atmosphere is so denser than the Earth. The atmosphere has 98% nitrogen
and 2% of methane. The seas and lakes are made up of liquid ethane and methane,
not water. The scientists did not find any source of methane in Titan’s
atmosphere. The source of hazy methane clouds of Titan is unclear.
Enceladus moon of the Saturn
The
Enceladus is one of the largest moons of Saturn. Enceladus is sixth largest
moon of the Saturn. Enceladus is named after a giant in the Greek mythology.
Enceladus is about 500 kilometer or 310 miles in diameter. The Enceladus is mostly
covered with fresh, clean ice. So, the Enceladus is one of the most reflective
bodies of our solar system. The Enceladus spray icy particles which spreads out
into space around its orbit. So, as a result the icy particles forms a ring, it
is E ring of the Saturn.
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| The Enceladus: Moon of the Saturn |
The
surface temperature of Enceladus is extremely cold, about 201 degree Celsius
negative. As like Titan, Enceladus is also tidally locked with Saturn, keeping
same face towards the planet Saturn. Enceladus completes it one orbit every
32.9 hours within densest part of E ring of the Saturn. The water jets come
from relatively warm fractures in crust of Enceladus. The water jets has
several gases, including carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane and little
ammonia, either carbon monoxide or nitrogen gas along with salts and silica.
Dione moon of the Saturn
The
Dione is a smallest moon of Saturn. The Dione is named after the Greek goddess
or titan Dione. Dione complete its one orbit around Saturn in 2.7days at a
distance of 234,500 miles or 377,400 km. The core of Dione is made up of
silicate rock with remainder of its material being ice. The temperature of Dione
is 186 degree Celsius negative. The fine dust of ice equivalent to smoke from
Saturn’s E ring constantly bombard on Dione. The dust in ring E comes from
Enceladus.
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| The Dione: Smallest moon of the Saturn |
The surface of the Dione is heavily cratered
terrain with craters as large as 62 miles or 100 km. Just like Earth’s moon,
Dione is tidally locked with Saturn, one side always faces Saturn. The Dione is
in resonance with two nearby moons, the Enceladus and Mimas. In resonance
means, when these moons approaching towards each other, they speed up slightly.
And slow down as they draw always.
Mimas moon of the Saturn
The
Mimas is one of the moons of the Saturn. The planet is named after the son of
Gaia in Greek mythology. The Mimas diameter is 396 kilometers. The Mimas moon
of Saturn is smallest moon that is still round in shape. Because of Mimas’s
self-gravitational force. Mimas requires 23 hours to complete one orbit around
the Saturn. Mimas is smallest and innermost moon of Saturn. Its mean radius is
less than 123 miles or 198 kilometers. The Mimas is just over 115,000 miles or
186,000 kilometers from the Saturn.
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| The Mimas: moon of the Saturn |
The surface of Mimas is saturated with impact
craters. The giant crater on Mimas is Herschel crater. The Herschel Crater is
80 miles or 130 kilometers wide. According to scientists, the impact nearly
demolished the tiny moon; the shock waves from crash appear on far side of the orbit
of Mimas is slightly elliptical, which should cause more tidal heating in its
interior. Mimas is closest major moon orbiting the Saturn.
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