Photo: Angela Roma

What is the most special planet?

The planet Saturn: truly massive and stunningly beautiful with its rings. It's also home to amazing moons like Titan. The planet Saturn is probably the best known and most beautiful planet in the Solar System.

rmg.co.uk - Planet Saturn | Royal Museums Greenwich

What's too big of an age gap?

A relationship age gap bigger than 10 years often comes with its own set of issues. “While there are always exceptions to rules, a good rule to...

Last updated Oct 8, 2019

What age is your first boyfriend?

That's in part because statistically speaking, most people have their first experience with a boyfriend or girlfriend as teenagers, with one 2004...

Last updated Dec 1, 2022

Do you really know who the “One” is? Your true Soulmate?

Promotion

Planet Saturn

The planet Saturn: truly massive and stunningly beautiful with its rings. It’s also home to amazing moons like Titan. The planet Saturn is probably the best known and most beautiful planet in the Solar System. Saturn’s rings are far more extensive and more easily seen than those of any other planet. Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system with a diameter of 120,000 km. It orbits the Sun every 30 years at a distance of about ten times that of the Earth’s. Saturn is the least dense of all the planets, its mean density being only 0.7 times that of water. The visits by the Voyager spacecraft rewrote almost everything we thought we knew about Saturn, its rings and its satellites.

The planetary interior

Like Jupiter, the planet Saturn is composed mainly of the light elements hydrogen and helium. We believe there is a core of rocky material about the size of the Earth at its centre. Around this is a metallic hydrogen shell some 30,000 km deep. Above this is a region composed of liquid hydrogen and helium with a gaseous atmosphere some 1000 km deep. This is the part we see as the surface of the planet.

The atmosphere

The planet Saturn is about 94% hydrogen and 6% helium. The clouds are composed of very small amounts of other chemical elements combined with hydrogen to give such compounds as ammonia, methane and phosphine. Because Saturn is colder than Jupiter the more colourful chemicals occur lower in its atmosphere and are not seen; this results in much less dramatic markings but they are similar to those seen on Jupiter, taking the form of bands with some smallish spots.

The rings

Galileo was the first to see Saturn’s rings, but in 1656, Huygens identified them as a ring system. For many years, Saturn was thought to be unique in having a ring system but we know now that all the major gaseous planets have ring systems although none is so prominent as that of Saturn. The rings are divided up into several distinct rings with gaps between them. Cassini discovered the largest gap in 1675, but we now know that there is a very complex structure to the ring system. The rings are composed of many, many small particles up to about 10 metres across. These are thought to have originated in a satellite which collided with a minor planet and/or that they are made of matter which was present when the planets were formed.

Appearance

What are Twin Flames spiritual?

Twin flames, also called “mirror souls,” are terms used to describe a relationship ideology rooted in new-age spiritualism. The concept has seen...

Last updated Jan 28, 2018

What level of intimacy is the highest form?

Level five Level five is the highest level of intimacy. It is the level where we are known at the deepest core of who we are. Because of that, it...

Last updated Feb 17, 2022

Promotion

The planet Saturn can easily be seen with the naked-eye. With good binoculars it can be seen to have a non-circular shape and the rings can be seen with a small telescope, which will also show the largest satellite, Titan.

Satellites

Titan is by far the largest with a diameter of 5150 km and is the second largest satellite in the solar system. It is probably the only satellite with an atmosphere. Apart from the very low temperatures - 180 °C - conditions are similar to those found on the early Earth. is by far the largest with a diameter of 5150 km and is the second largest satellite in the solar system. It is probably the only satellite with an atmosphere. Apart from the very low temperatures - 180 °C - conditions are similar to those found on the early Earth. Mimas has a diameter of 390 km. Its surface is very cratered and the Voyager pictures show one giant crater with a diameter almost equal to one third of that of the satellite. has a diameter of 390 km. Its surface is very cratered and the Voyager pictures show one giant crater with a diameter almost equal to one third of that of the satellite. Enceladus has a diameter of 500 km. It shows cratering and also complex geological structures indicating large crustal movements. has a diameter of 500 km. It shows cratering and also complex geological structures indicating large crustal movements. Tethys has a diameter of 1050 km. It appears to be made of ice and is heavily cratered. There is a huge trench-like structure extending a quarter of the way around the satellite, which is 100 km wide and 4 to 5 km deep. has a diameter of 1050 km. It appears to be made of ice and is heavily cratered. There is a huge trench-like structure extending a quarter of the way around the satellite, which is 100 km wide and 4 to 5 km deep. Dione is 1120 km in diameter. It shows many craters and large plains. is 1120 km in diameter. It shows many craters and large plains. Rhea has a diameter of 1530 km and is heavily cratered. There are several small satellites some of which are believed to be responsible for 'shepherding' some of the features seen in the structure of the rings.

rmg.co.uk - Planet Saturn | Royal Museums Greenwich

Why do hospice patients stop eating?

As the end of life nears, the body gradually loses its ability to digest and process foods and liquids. As organs and bodily functions shut down,...

Last updated Apr 9, 2021

Can two Scorpio Fall in Love?

Scorpio and Scorpio Compatibility Two Scorpios together will create a bond that's, in a word, passionate — for better or worse. Both are wired to...

Last updated Apr 18, 2018

Promotion

What behavior makes a woman fall in love?

They desire a sincere, family-oriented, honest, trustworthy, and respectful man. A woman often looks for a man who will treat her with love, care,...

Last updated Jul 27, 2022

Promotion

What is the longest lasting kiss?

The official longest kiss was clocked at 32 hours, 7 minutes and 14 seconds long by Nikola Matovic and Kristina Reinhart in Germany in February...

Last updated Dec 6, 2021