Saturn

=﻿Welcome to the Saturn Wiki!= Here you will find different facts in your personal exploration of Saturn.


 * Basic Info**
 * Saturn is the 6th planet from the sun.
 * Saturn is the second largest planet. (Jupiter is larger!)
 * Saturday was named after Saturn.
 * It is a creamy, very pale orangey yellow with a tiny splash of brown mixed in.
 * Saturn is one of the four planets which has rings.
 * Saturn was named after the Roman God of agriculture.[[image:AP0703020958.jpg width="196" height="161" align="left" caption="Another fact about Saturn is that is has seven main rings around the planet."]]

Saturn was discovered as a planet by early astronomers in ancient times, but was first viewed through a telescope in 1610 by Galileo, who thought that it was merely a satellite (moon). Satrun can sometimes be seen in the night sky because of its gasous surface. media type="custom" key="7734103"
 * The Discovery**
 * It's Atmosphere**
 * Saturn is belived to be a giant ball of gas with no surface.
 * Even without a surface scientists believe that it has a hot core.
 * The atmosphere of the planet consists of mostly of helium and hydrogen which is constant with what is in stars.
 * This supports the theory of Saturn being a ball of gas.
 * Contained by the atmosphere large bands of clouds circle saturn.
 * Somtimes these clouds are large gasous hurricanes!
 * With all the gases and no solid surface along with gas hurricanes scientist doubt that any form of life could survive here.
 * Mass and Density**
 * Because of Saturn's compostion, it has an extremely low density. Because of this, if a chunk of saturn was placed on water, it would float!
 * In fact, Saturn has the lowest denesity of all the planets in our solar system.
 * Because of Saturn's extreme size, it has a little higher gravity than Earth.
 * It is the second largest planet in our solar system.
 * The rings**
 * Saturn has seven main rings.
 * That surround the planet at the equator.
 * The rings are made up of different sized pieces of ice.
 * The seven bands that make up Saturn's rings can be at places 180,000 miles across.
 * The rings are seperated by spaces that can be 2000 miles wide.
 * The rings were discovered in the 1600s by the astronomer Galileo.

media type="file" key="SpaceSchool_Saturn_300k.wmv" width="221" height="235" align="right"
 * In Saturn's Orbit**
 * There are two types of main objects in Saturn's orbit: its rings and moons.
 * Saturn has 53 moons all of which orbit around it.
 * Saturn's moons vary in color, shape and size.
 * Compatibility for Life**
 * Scientists believe that there is no life on Saturn due to the lack of surface and the harsh atmosphere which consists of hydrogen and helium.
 * Saturn is almost completely made up of gases (hydrogen and helium), therefore, it can not carry weight.
 * Unless there is some mysterious helium-breathing creature that floats around in mid air, there is no real chance of survival on Saturn.
 * Saturn additionally consits of huge gaseous storms which would not support life.
 * The Weather and Climate**
 * Saturn is unequally heated, which causes it to have seasons.
 * Saturn is 885,904,700 miles from the sun, causing it to maintain a temperature (in the Northern part) of about -285 degrees F.
 * Each season lasts 7 and a half Earth years.
 * Below the clouds that surround Saturn, its temperature is much higher due to the heated core.

Spinrad, Hyron. "Saturn." World Book Online Reference Center. 2004. World Book, Inc. []. []