Saturn News

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in our solar system, famed for its striking system of icy rings. These rings are made up of countless small particles, ranging in size from micrometers to meters, that orbit around Saturn’s equator. Composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, Saturn is a gas giant like Jupiter, with a composition and structure similar to that of the Sun. It has a dense core surrounded by metallic hydrogen, an intermediate layer of liquid hydrogen and helium, and an outer gaseous layer. Saturn has a very low average density; in fact, it is the only planet in the solar system that is less dense than water—if there were a bathtub large enough to hold it, Saturn would float. The planet hosts a large number of moons, with Titan being the most notable because it is larger than the planet Mercury and has a thick atmosphere that supports complex weather systems. Saturn’s magnetic field is weaker than Earth’s, but its magnetosphere is extensive, extending several Titan diameters from the planet. Saturn’s internal heat, while not as intense as Jupiter’s, drives complex atmospheric activities and results in polar phenomena similar to Earth’s auroras.