Saturn is not the only planet with rings. Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune also have rings, although they are much fainter and less spectacular than Saturn’s. Saturn is the least dense planet in the solar system, and if there were a body of water large enough to hold Saturn, the planet would float. In contrast, Earth and Mercury would sink the fastest. Scientists believe that Saturn is approximately -350° F. The coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth is -129° F . Winds in Saturn’s atmosphere travel up to 1,100 miles per hour, much faster than those on Jupiter. The strongest tornadoes on Earth have reached speeds of only about 300 miles per hour. Saturn rotates so fast (6,200 miles per hour) that the planet bulges at its equator and its poles are flat. It is the flattest planet in the solar system. In fact, Saturn rotates faster than any other planet except for Jupiter. Because Saturn spins on a tilt, it has seasons. Summer on Saturn lasts about eight Earth years. The atmospheric pressure on Saturn is over 100 times greater than the Earth’s atmospheric pressure. The pressure is so powerful that it squeezes gas into liquid. It would crush any human-made spacecraft. Saturn’s rings are made from billions of chunks of rock and ice, ranging in size from a grain of sand to pieces as large as a house. They have a mysterious reddish “contaminant” that might be rust or the same organic material found in red vegetables on Earth. Saturn is called a “naked eye” planet because it can be seen without a telescope or binoculars. Saturn is often the third brightest planet in the night sky and has a yellowish color that does not twinkle. Unlike stars, planets like Saturn do not twinkle because they are much closer to Earth than stars.
On a clear winter night take your binoculars outside and see if you can spot Saturn! Then go back in the house for a cup of hot chocolate...it is so worth it!!
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Mrs. TaylorI love science! Everything about the world is interesting and never boring. I love to study plants, animals, insects, and people. My favorite subjects are my students who are the most unique organisms on the planet! Categories |