Characteristics of Saturn, the most magnificent ringed planet

KOMPAS.com – Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and is the second largest planet in the solar system.

Saturn is a great distance from Earth, but thanks to its protruding rings, the planet can still be seen through a telescope.

In fact, not only Saturn has rings. Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune also have rings, but they’re not as special Saturn’s rings.

Reporting from Space, 13 May 2019, here are the characteristics and characteristics Planet Saturn.

1. Physical characteristics

Saturn is a gas giant consisting mostly of hydrogen and helium. It has a volume larger than Earth with a mass 95 times the mass of Earth.

Also read: Apart from Saturn, these 3 planets also have rings

Saturn’s atmosphere appears to have bands of yellow and gold which are the result of super fast winds in the upper atmosphere that can reach up to 1,800 km per hour.

Saturn’s equator looks swollen and its poles are flat. This condition is caused by Saturn’s high-speed rotation.

2. Saturn’s rings

Galileo Galilei was the first to see Saturn’s ring in 1610 through his telescope.

Then, 45 years later, in 1655 to be precise, a Dutch astronomer, Christian Huygens, had a more sophisticated telescope and said that Saturn’s rings were flat and thin.

In fact, Saturn has many rings made up of billions of ice and rock particles of various sizes.

Also read: Like rain on Earth, the raindrops on Saturn’s moon Titan are bigger

The particles are believed to be the remains of destroyed comets, asteroids and moons. A 2016 study also suggests Saturn’s rings may consist of dwarf planet carcasses.

Saturn’s rings are 7,000 times larger than Saturn’s diameter. The thickness of the main ring is only 9 meters.

Saturn’s rings are named alphabetically in the order in which they were found. Its outer ring, which was discovered in 2009, is so large that it could accommodate 1 billion Earths.

3. The Moon of Saturn

Saturn has, at least, 62 moons. The largest moon, Titan, is slightly larger than Mercury.

In addition, Titan is also the second largest moon in the solar system, after Jupiter’s moon, Ganymede.

Also read: Astronomers Find the Largest Lake on One of Saturn’s Satellites

Some months have extreme features. For example, Pan and Atlas which are shaped like flying saucers or Lapetus which have very light sides and very dark sides.

Scientists have identified many moons and Saturn has other smaller moons, which are constantly being created and destroyed.

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