Cosmology

27 SATURN: PLANET OF RINGS

SATURN: PLANET OF RINGS

  • Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun after Jupiter, Saturn also known as the second largest planet of our solar system. Saturn as a planet is famous for its rings. As a gas planet, it is made by most of the gas molecules of hydrogen and helium. 
  • Saturn orbits at the far distance of about 886 million miles (1.4 billion km) from the sun
  • Studies disclosed that Saturn takes approx. 10.7 hours to rotate on its axis and take 29 years for completing one orbit of the sun.
  • Like Jupiter (Jupiter: A Giant Gas Planet), Saturn is also a gas giant, it doesn’t have a soil surface like on the earth.
  • Saturn has discovered 53 known natural moons with an additional more than 20 moons are awaiting for the confirmation.
  • As we are aware that Saturn has no chance for the development of life but its moons have conditions that might support life.
  • The Radius of Saturn is near about 36,183 miles (58,232 km). it is ninth time wider than earth in size. 9.5 astronomical units (A astronomical unit is known as the distance from the sun to earth) away from the sun.
  • If we see Saturn from a cultural perspective it is named for the Roman god of agriculture and wealth, who was also the father of Jupiter, In Indian, it is named for the son of the sun and a god of justice also known as Shani Graha.
  • The sun lights take approx. 80 minutes to reach from the sun to Saturn.
  • Saturn has the second shortest day planet in the solar system (Solar System: A General Introduction).
  • The axis of Saturn is by 26.73 degrees with respect to its orbit to the sun, similar to earth’s 23.5 degrees tilt. Scientist assumes that like earth and Saturn have same experiences seasons
  • The core of Saturn is made by metals like iron and nickel which is surrounded by rock material.
  • One of the very interesting facts about Saturn is that it is the only planet in our solar system whose average density is less than water.
  • The magnetic field is smaller than Jupiter’s. its magnetic field is 578 times powerful as Earth’s.
  • The phenomenon of Aurorae occurs when the charged particles spiral into Saturn’s atmosphere along its magnetic field lines. It is made by the solar winds and caused by a combination of particles ejected from Saturn’s moon and its magnetic fields.

Moons of Saturn

  • At till Saturn has discovered 82 moons in which 53 are confirmed and 29 are waiting for the confirmation of discovery and official naming.

List of Saturn’s Confirmed Moons

  1. Aegaeon
  2. Aegir
  3. Albiorix
  4. Anthe
  5. Atlas
  6. Bebhionn
  7. Bergelmir
  8. Bestla
  9. Calypso
  10. Daphnis
  11. Dione
  12. Enceladus
  13. Epimetheus
  14. Erriapus
  15. Farbauti
  16. Fenrir
  17. Fornjot
  18. Greip
  19. Hati
  20. Helene
  21. Hyperion
  22. Hyrrokkin
  23. Lapetus
  24. Ljiraq
  25. Janus
  26. Jarnsaxa
  27. Kari
  28. Kiviuq
  29. Loge
  30. Methone
  31. Mimas
  32. Mundilfari
  33. Narvi
  34. Paaliaq
  35. Pallene
  36. Pan
  37. Pandora
  38. Phoebe
  39. Polydeuces
  40. Prometheus
  41. Rhea
  42. Siarnaq
  43. Skathi
  44. Skoll
  45. Surtur
  46. Suttungr
  47. Tarqeq
  48. Tarvos
  49. Telesto
  50. Tethys
  51. Thrymr
  52. Titan
  53. Ymir

List of Saturn’s Provisional Moons

  1. S/2004 s12
  2. S/2004 s13
  3. S/2004 s17
  4. S/2004 s20
  5. S/2004 s21
  6. S/2004 s22
  7. S/2004 s23
  8. S/2004 s24
  9. S/2004 s25
  10. S/2004 s26
  11. S/2004 s27
  12. S/2004 s28
  13. S/2004 s29
  14. S/2004 s30
  15. S/2004 s7
  16. S/2004 XXX (s5593a2)
  17. S/2004 XXX (s5605a2)
  18. S/2004 XXX (s5613a2)
  19. S/2004 XXX (s5801a2)
  20. S/2004 XXX (s64454x)
  21. S/2004 XXX (s64487)
  22. S/2004 XXX (s8568a)
  23. S/2004 XXX (T514042)
  24. S/2004 XXX (T522499)
  25. S/2006 S1
  26. S/2006 S3
  27. S/2007 S2
  28. S/2007 S3
  29. S/2009 s1

Important Moons of Saturn

Enceladus

  • The Enceladus as a moon of Saturn was discovered by the British astronomer named William Herschel who watched Enceladus orbiting Around Saturn on the 28th of August in 1789.
  • Basically, the name of Enceladus is named after the giant Enceladus of Greek mythology.
  • In 2005, spacecraft named Cassini discovered the ice water particles and the gas gush on the moon’s surface at approx. 800 miles per hour.
  • The Enceladus part showed craters near about 22 miles in diameter, while the southern pole of the Enceladus is impact-free of creates.
  • Enceladus orbits Saturn at a distance of 148,000 miles (238,00km). Enceladus completes its one orbit every 32.9 hours within the densest part of Saturn’s rings.

Titan

  • Titan is the largest moon of Saturn. Our solar system has discovered more than 100 moons in which titan is the only one with a substantial atmosphere.
  • Titan is the only place besides the Earth known to have liquids in form of a river.
  • Titan as a moon is larger compared with Mercury and the second-largest moon after the Ganymede moon of Jupiter. Ganymede is a little bit larger than Titan (near about 2%).
  • The atmosphere of the titan is made of nitrogen. It has clouds, rain, rivers, seas, lakes in a form of liquid hydrocarbons like methane and ethane.
  • It is bigger than the planet Mercury.

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