We explain what Saturn is, its location in the solar system and its dimensions. Also, what are its characteristics, its climate and geological composition.
What is Saturn?
Saturn is a planet in the solar system, the third furthest from the Sun and the second largest. It is one of the brightest points in the night sky, due mainly to the reflection of sunlight in its atmosphere and in its rings. Its visibility and apparent brightness make it one of the most notable objects for sky watchers since ancient times.
Before the invention of the telescope, astronomers observed the movements of the planets with the naked eye. Saturn was striking because it appeared to move more slowly compared to other objects in the sky.
Galileo Galilei was the first to observe Saturn through a telescope in 1610.but his observations were confusing and he was unable to understand the nature of the rings. It was Christiaan Huygens, in 1659, who observed Saturn more clearly and managed to describe a thin ring that could be seen around the planet but that did not touch it at any point.
Saturn is characterized by being composed mainly of gases and not having a solid surface. The most abundant are hydrogen and helium. It is believed that perhaps the planet may have a solid core, but this is only a hypothesis.
The climate of Saturn is very cold. Due to its distance from the sun, the temperature of its atmosphere is approximately -176 °C.
Saturn is named after one of the gods of Roman mythology. Saturn was considered the god of harvest and agriculture. As it is the planet that can be observed for the longest time in the sky throughout the year, the Romans decided to name it that way in honor of one of their most important gods.
Characteristics of Saturn
The main characteristics of Saturn are:
- It has a diameter of 120,660 kilometers, making it the second largest planet in the solar system.
- It is located 1,448 million kilometers from the Sun.
- Its average temperature is -176 °C.
- It has a mainly gaseous composition.
- It is surrounded by a system of ten rings.
- It has more than eighty natural satellites.
- It has been explored four times in recent years.
Location and dimensions of Saturn
Saturn’s orbit is behind that of Jupiter1,448 million kilometers from the Sunbeyond the Asteroid Belt that divides the solar system. A complete revolution of the Sun takes 29 years and 167 Earth days. Due to its gaseous composition, its rotation is very difficult to calculate, but it is believed to be very fast and could take an estimated time of 10 hours and 33 minutes.
Saturn has a size of 120,660 kilometers in diameter. Despite its enormous size, its density is lower than that of water, making it the least dense planet known. This means that, if placed on a surface of water, Saturn would float.
Composition of Saturn
Saturn, like the rest of the planets that make up the solar system, has an uncertain origin. Scientists estimate that it was formed by the cooling and condensation of subject remaining part of the gas cloud from which the Sun. However, unlike rocky or inner planets, Saturn maintained its almost entirely gaseous composition.
Information about the internal structure of Saturn is obtained mainly through observations and theoretical models. It is believed that at its center there is a solid core composed mainly of rock and metalwith an estimated diameter of around 25,000 kilometers.
Although it does not have a solid surface, observing Saturn’s moon and ring systems offers valuable information about its geology. The rings are made of ice and rock ranging from small dust particles to large rocky objects.
Saturn’s moons also display a variety of geological features including craters and mountains, and could be evidence of Saturn’s geological activity in the past and present.
Saturn’s atmosphere
Saturn’s atmosphere is mostly hydrogen (96%) and just 3% helium and other elements. It is estimated that inside, hydrogen is compressed until it becomes liquid. On the contrary, clouds of ammonia or ammonia hydrosulfate crystals can be found on the planet’s surface. This composition gives it its yellowish-orange color, which appears in various stripes similar to those of Jupiter.
The temperature average on Saturn is around -176 °C. In its atmosphere, large storms develop, forming white spots observable on its surface. This phenomenon is called the “Great White Spot” and was first observed in 1867 by the American astronomer Asaph Hall.
Saturn Rings
Saturn has a system of ten rings that surround the planet. They were first sighted by Galileo Galilei in 1610. It is a complex system composed mainly of frozen water particles, rock material and dust. These rings do not form a continuous layer, but are made up of countless particles that vary in size, from small grains to larger fragments.
The extent of the rings is measured along Saturn’s equator and ranges from approximately 6,630 to 120,700 kilometers. Saturn’s rings are not homogeneous, but rather present variations in density and structure along their length.
Saturn satellites
Saturn has more than eighty celestial bodies that have been identified and cataloged in orbit around it. Among the most notable moons are:
- Titan. It is the largest moon of Saturn. With a diameter of approximately 5,150 kilometers, Titan is larger than the planet Mercury. It was discovered in 1655.
- Rhea. It has a surface composed mainly of water and ice, with a diameter of around 1,528 kilometers. It was discovered in 1672.
- Dione. It presents a landscape marked by steep cliffs and dark plains, with an approximate diameter of 1,122 kilometers. Its surface is mostly made up of ice. It was discovered in 1684.
- Thetis. It is known for its enormous Odysseus crater, 400 kilometers in diameter, and its great canyon called Ithaca Chasma, 2,000 kilometers long. It has an approximate diameter of 1,062 kilometers. It was discovered in 1684.
- Iapetus. It has a diameter of 1,436 kilometers. It is mainly composed of ice. It was discovered in 1671.
Explorations to Saturn
This distant planet has been explored by humanity four times:
- Pioneer 11. This probe was launched in 1973. It flew by Saturn in 1979, at a distance of 20,000 kilometers from its upper clouds.
- Voyager 1. This probe was launched in 1977 along with Voyager 2. It approached within 124,200 kilometers of Saturn and less than 6,500 kilometers of Titan, its main satellite.
- Voyager 2. This probe was launched in 1977 and approached Saturn in 1982.
- Cassini. This probe was launched in 1997 and arrived at Saturn in 2004. It orbited the planet for thirteen years and approached its rings. His mission ended in 2017.
Curiosities of Saturn
Saturn presents some peculiarities, among them:
- The rings. Saturn is known for its complex ring system, made up of ice particles, dust and rocks.
- The giant moon. Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, is the second largest in the solar system.
- The hexagon at the North Pole. At the North Pole of Saturn lies a mysterious hexagon, a unique geometric pattern. The formation and persistence of this phenomenon is still the subject of scientific study.
- The rapid rotation. Despite being a gas giant, Saturn rotates rapidly. A day on Saturn lasts approximately 10 hours and 33 minutes in Earth terms.
- The low density. Despite its immense size, Saturn has an unusually low density. If it could be placed in a large enough ocean, it would float due to its low density.
References
- NASA Science. (2021). All about Saturn. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/
- NASA Science. (2021). Voyager 1 and 2: the interstellar mission. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/
- Rodríguez, H. (2023). Saturn, the famous ringed planet. National Geographic Spain. https://www.nationalgeographic.com.es/
