Saturn

Sixth planet from the Sun and second largest in the Solar System, appears as a flattened yellow disk with rings around it when viewed through a standard telescope from Earth.

DATA

Diameter: 120,536km (74,901miles)
Mass: (Earth=1) 95.2
Volume: (Earth=1) 744
Density: (water=1) 0.71
Orbital Period: 29.46 Earth days
Rotation Period: 10 Earth hours, 13 mins, 59 seconds
Av. Surface Temp: -180°C (-356°F)

The Planet Saturn

Saturn’s rings are made up of particles ranging in size from bits of dust to pieces a few metres across, all in individual orbits. The main rings are only a kilometre or so thick; the Earth-launched Voyager space probe found the rings to be made up of thousands of separate ringlets. Saturn has an internal heat source, which is thought to drive its weather system. Though little is known about Saturn, it is thought to be predominantly hydrogen with an iron-silicate core about 5 times the mass of the Earth, surrounded by a mantle of ice 20 times the mass of Earth. The upper atmosphere contains 97% hydrogen and 3% helium, with traces of other gases.