Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet of the solar system according to the diameter and mass parameters. Often, Saturn is called fraternal planets. When compared, it becomes clear why Saturn and Jupiter were indicated as relatives. From the composition of the atmosphere to the features of rotation, these two planets are very similar. It is in honor of such a similarity, in Roman mythology Saturn It was named after the Father of the God of Jupiter.
A unique feature of Saturn is the fact that this planet is the least dense in the solar system. Despite the presence of a tight, solid core in Saturn, a large gas-made outer layer of the planet brings the average density of the planet only to 687 kg / m3. As a result, it turns out that the density of Saturn is less than that of the water and if it was the size of the matchbox, it would be easy for the flow of the spring stream.
Orbit and Rotation Saturn
The average orbital distance of Saturn is 1.43 x 109 km. This means that Saturn is 9.5 times further from the Sun, than the total distance from the ground to the Sun. As a result, sunlight is required about an hour and twenty minutes to get to the planet. In addition, given the distance of Saturn from the Sun, the duration of the year on the planet is 10,756 terrestrial days; That is about 29.5 of the world.
Eccentricity of Saturn orbits is the third largest after and. As a result of the presence of such a large eccentricity, the distance between the perihelion of the planets (1.35 x 109 km) and Appliances (1.50 x 109 km) is very significant - about 1.54 x 108 km.
The slope of the axis of Saturn, which is 26.73 degrees, is very similar to earthly, and this explains the presence of the same seasons on the planet as on earth. However, due to the remoteness of Saturn from the Sun, he receives significantly less sunlight during the year and for this reason the seasons on Saturn are much more "lubricated" rather than on Earth.
Speaking about the rotation of Saturn is as interesting as the rotation of Jupiter. With the speed of rotation of about 10 hours of 45 minutes, the Saturn in this indicator is inferior only to the Jupiter, which is the most fast rotating planet in the solar system. Such extreme rates of rotation undoubtedly affect the form of the planet, giving it the form of spheroid, that is, the sphere that discovers somewhat in the area of \u200b\u200bthe equator.
The second amazing feature of the rotation of Saturn is the various speeds of rotation between different visible latitudes. This phenomenon is formed as a result of the fact that the prevailing substance in the composition of Saturn is gas, and not a solid body.
The Saturn ring system is the most famous in the solar system. The rings themselves consist mainly of billions of tiny particles of ice, as well as dust and other comic garbage. Such a composition explains why rings are visible from Earth to telescopes - ice has a very high indicator of the reflection of sunlight.
There are seven wide classifications among the rings: a, in, s, d, e, f, g. Each ring received its name according to the English alphabet in the order of discovery periodicity. The most visible from the ground rings are A, B and C. In fact, every ring is thousands of smaller rings, literally pressing together. But there are spaces between the main rings. The space between the rings A and B is the largest of these gaps and is 4700 km.
The main rings begin at a distance of about 7,000 km above the equator Saturn and stretch for another 73,000 km. It is interesting to note that, despite the fact that this is a very essential radius, the actual thickness of the rings is not more than one kilometer.
The most common theory for explaining the formation of rings is the theory that in the orbit of Saturn, under the influence of tidal forces, a medium sized satellite broke up, and it happened at the moment when his orbit became too close to Saturn.
- Saturn Sixth Planet from the Sun and the last of the planets known to the ancient civilizations. It is believed that the inhabitants of Babylon were observed for the first time.
Saturn is one of five planets that can be seen with the naked eye. It is also the fifth in the brightness of the object in the solar system.
In Roman mythology, Saturn was the father of Jupiter, the king of the gods. A similar ratio has a similarity of the planets with the same name, in particular in size and composition.
Saturn highlights more energy than getting from the sun. It is believed that such a feature is due to the gravitational compression of the planet and the friction of a large number of helium in its atmosphere.
Saturn takes 29.4 terrestrial years for a full turnover of orbit around the sun. Such a slow motion on stars served as a reason for the ancient Assyrians to designate the planet as "Lubadsagush", which means "the oldest of old".
The fastest winds in our solar system are blowing on Saturn. The speed of these winds was measured, the maximum indicator is about 1,800 kilometers per hour.
Saturn is the least dense planet in the solar system. The planet mainly consists of hydrogen and has a density less than that of the water - which technically means that Saturn will float.
Saturn has more than 150 satellites. All these satellites have an ice surface. The largest of the Titanium and Reia. A very interesting companion is Encelada, as scientists are confident that under his icy crust hides the water ocean.
- Saturn Saturn Titan is the second largest companion in the solar system, after the satellite of Jupiter called Ganymed. Titanium has a complex and dense atmosphere, consisting mainly of nitrogen, water ice and stone. The frozen titanium surface has liquid lakes from methane and relief, covered with liquid nitrogen. Because of this, the researchers believe that if Titan is a harbor for life, then this life will be in the root differ from the earth.
Saturn is the most flat out of eight planets. Its polar diameter is 90% of its equatorial diameter. This is due to the fact that the planet with low density has a high speed of rotation - the turn around its axis occupies 10 hours and 34 minutes from Saturn.
On Saturn there are storms of oval shape, which in their structure are similar to what they occur in Jupiter. Scientists believe that such a drawing of clouds around the North Pole of Saturn can be a real sample of the existence of atmospheric waves in the upper clouds. Also over the southern Pole of Saturn there is a whirlwind, which is very similar to hurricane storms, occurring on Earth.
In the lenses of Saturn telescopes, as a rule, visible in pale yellow. This is because its upper layers of the atmosphere contains ammonia crystals. Below this upper layer are clouds that are mainly consisting of water ice. Even below, layers of ice sulfur and cold mixtures of hydrogen.
General information about Saturn
Saturn is the sixth remoteness from the sun of the planet (sixth planet of the solar system).
Saturn refers to gas giants and is named in honor of the ancient Roman god farming.
Saturn is known to people since ancient times.
Saturn's neighbors are Jupiter and Uranus. Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune dwell in the outside region of the solar system.
It is believed that in the center of the gas giant there is a massive core of solid and heavy materials (silicates, metals) and water ice.
The magnetic field of Saturn is created due to the effect of Dynamo when circulating metal hydrogen in the outer core and is almost dipole with the North and South magnetic poles.
Saturn has the most pronounced system of planetary rings in the solar system.
At Saturn, 82 natural satellites were found at the moment.
Orbit Saturn
The average distance from Saturn to the Sun is 1430 million kilometers (9.58 Astronomical Unit).
Perihelium (closest to the sun Point of orbit): 1353.573 million kilometers (9.048 Astronomical Unit).
Appliances (the most distant orbit dot): 1513.326 million kilometers (10,116 astronomical units).
The average speed of Saturn in orbit is about 9.69 kilometers per second.
One turn around the Sun Planet makes 29.46 of the Earth years.
The year on the planet is 378.09 Saturnian days.
Saturn to the Earth varies from 1195 to 1660 million kilometers away.
The direction of rotation of Saturn corresponds to the direction of rotation of all (except for Venus and Uranus) the planets of the solar system.
3D model Saturn
Physical characteristics of Saturn
Saturn is the second in the size of the planet in the solar system.
The average radius of Saturn is 58,232 & plusmn 6 kilometers, that is, about 9 radius of the Earth.
The Saturn surface area is 42.72 billion square kilometers.
The average density of Saturn is 0.687 grams per cubic centimeter.
Acceleration of free fall on Saturna is 10.44 meters per second in a square (1.067 g).
Saturn mass is 5.6846 x 10 26 kilograms, which is about 95 masses of the Earth.
Atmosphere Saturn
The two main components of the atmosphere of Saturn are hydrogen (about 96%) and helium (about 3%).
In the depths of the atmosphere of Saturn grow pressure and temperature, and hydrogen goes into a liquid state, but this transition is gradual. At a depth of 30,000 kilometers, hydrogen becomes metallic, and the pressure there reaches 3 million atmospheres.
In the atmosphere of Saturn, there are sometimes sustainable heavy duty hurricanes.
During storms and storms on the planet there are powerful lightning discharges.
Polar radiances on Saturn are bright continuous oval rings surrounding the planet's poles.
Comparative sizes and land
Rings Saturn
The diameter of the rings is estimated at 250,000 kilometers, and their thickness does not exceed 1 kilometer.
Scientists conventionally divide the annular system of Saturn on three main rings and the fourth - more subtle, while in fact the rings are formed from thousands of rings alternating with the slits.
The rings system consists mainly of ice particles (about 93%), fewer heavy elements and dust.
Particles from which the Saturn rings consist of the size of 1 centimeter to 10 meters.
Rings are located at an angle of about 28 degrees to the plane of the ecliptic, so depending on the mutual location of the planets from the ground they look different: both in the form of rings, and from the rib.
Research Saturn
For the first time watching Saturn in a telescope in 1609 - 1610, Galileo Galilee noticed that the planet looks like three bodies, almost touching each other, and suggested that these are two major "companions" of Saturn, but 2 years later did not find that confirmation.
In 1659, Huygens Christians with the help of a more powerful telescope found out that "companions" is actually a thin flat ring, slimming planet and not touching it.
In 1979, the automatic interplanetary station "Pioneer 11" for the first time in history flew near Saturn, receiving images of the planet and some of its satellites and opening the ring F.
In 1980 - 1981, the Saturn system also visited "Voyager-1" and "Voyager-2". During rapprochement with the planet, a number of photographs in high resolution were made and data was obtained on the temperature and density of the atmosphere of Saturn, as well as the physical characteristics of its satellites, including titanium.
Since the 1990s Saturn, his companions and rings were repeatedly studied by the Hubble Space Telescope.
In 1997, the Mission "Cassini-Huygens" was launched to Saturn, which after 7 years of flight on July 1, 2004 reached Saturn's system and entered the orbit around the planet. The Huygens probe separated from the device and at the parachute on January 14, 2005 descended to the surface of titanium, swing the sample of the atmosphere. For 13 years of scientific activity, the Cassini spacecraft turned the submission of scientists about the gas giant system. The mission "Cassini" was completed on September 15, 2017 by immersing the spacecraft into the atmosphere of Saturn.
The average density of Saturn is only 0.687 grams per cubic centimeter, which makes it the only planet of the solar system, whose average density is below the density of water.
Due to the hot core, the temperature of which reaches 11,700 degrees Celsius, Saturn radiates 2.5 times more energy into space than it receives from the Sun.
The clouds on the North Pole of Saturn form a giant hexagon, and each of his side is approximately 13,800 kilometers.
Some satellites of Saturn, for example, Pan and Mimas are "shepherds of the rings": their gravity plays a role in keeping the rings on their places due to resonance with certain parts of the ring system.
It is believed that Saturn will absorb his rings in 100 million years.
In 1921, rumor was swept that Saturn rings disappeared. This was due to the fact that at the time of observations, the annular system was addressed to the earth and could not be considered with the equipment of that time.
Saturn is the second on the size of the planet in our solar system and the sixth planet from the sun. Saturn, just like Uranus, Jupiter and Neptune, belong to the gas giants. The planet has received its name in honor of the god farming.
To a greater extent, the planet consists of hydrogen, with insignificant impurities of helium and traces of methane, water, ammonia and heavy elements. As for the inside, it represents a minor core, including nickel, iron and ice, coated with a gaseous outer layer and a small layer of metallic hydrogen. The external atmosphere seems when observed from the space is homogeneous and calm, although long-term education is sometimes traced. Saturn has a planetary magnetic field, which occupies an intermediate position on the tension between the powerful field of Jupiter and the magnetic field of the Earth. Wind speed on the planet can reach up to 1800 km / h, which is much more than on Jupiter.
Saturn has a notable rings system, which mainly consists of ice particles having fewer dust and heavy elements. At the moment, 62 famous satellites are drawn around Saturn. The largest of them is Titan. Among all satellites, he is the second in size (after Gamed).
In the orbit of Saturn there is an automatic interplanetary station called "Cassini". Scientists launched it back in 1997. And in 2004, it reached Saturn's system, to whose tasks include the study of the structure of the carriage and the dynamics of the magnetosphere and the atmosphere.
Planet name
Planet Saturn was named after the Roman god farming. Later he was identified with the leader of Titans - Kronos. Since Titan Kronos devoured his children, he did not become popular among the Greeks. The Romans of God Saturn was honored and respect. According to ancient legend, he taught humanity to handle land, build houses and grow plants. The "golden age of mankind" speaks about the times of his intended government, the celebrations were organized in his honor, which were called Saturnalia. Slaves during these celebrations for a slight time received freedom. In Indian mythology, the planet corresponds to Shani.
The origin of Saturn
It is worth noting that the origin of Saturn explains the two main hypotheses (in the same way as with Jupiter). According to the concentration hypothesis, the composition of the Saturn and the Sun is that these celestial bodies have a majority of hydrogen. As a result, low density is explained by the fact that at the initial stages of the development of the solar system in a gas-dye, massive "thickening", which gave the beginning of the planets were formed. It turns out that the planets and the sun were formed in a similar way. But be that as it may, this hypothesis does not explain the differences in the composition of the Sun and Saturn.
The hypothesis of "accretion" says that the formation process of Saturn consisted of two stages. At first, for two hundred million years, the process of forming solid dense bodies, which reminded the planets of the earth group. During this stage, some of the gas was dissipulated from the field of Saturn and Jupiter, which in the future was affected by the difference in the chemical compositions of the Sun and Saturn. After that, the 2 stage began, during which the largest bodies were able to achieve the double mass of the Earth. For several hundred thousand years, the gas accretion process on these bodies from the primary protoplanetic cloud was passed. The temperature at the second stage of the outer layers of the planet reached 2000 ° C.
Saturn among other planets
As mentioned above, Saturn refers to the number of gas planets: it does not have a solid surface and mainly consists of gases. Polar radius of the planet - 54,400 km, Equatorial - 60 300 km. Among the other planets, Saturn has the greatest compression. The weight of the planet exceeds the mass of the ground 95.2 times, but its average density is less than the density of water. Although the masses of Saturn and Jupiter differ more than three times, their equatorial diameter differs only by 19%. As for the density of the remaining gas planets, it is significantly more and amounts to 1.27-1.64 g / cm3. Acceleration of the free fall along the equator - 10.44 m / s2, which is comparable to the incompleteness of Neptune and the Earth, but much less than that of Jupiter.
Rotation and orbital characteristics of Saturn
The average distance between the Sun and Saturn - 1430 million km. Moving at a speed of 9.69 km / s, the planet draws around the Sun in 29.5 years (10,759 days). The distance from Saturn to our planet is varying from 8.0 a. e. (119 million km) to 11.1 a. e. (1660 million km), the average distance during their confrontation is about 1280 million km. Jupiter and Saturn are located almost in the exact resonance 2: 5 to the Sun in Aflia and perihelia is 162 million km.
The differential rotation of the atmosphere of the planet is similar to the rotation of the atmosphere of Venus and Jupiter, as well as the Sun. A. Williams first found that the speed of rotation of Saturn could change not only in depth and latitude, but also in time. An analysis of the variability of the rotation of the equatorial zone in 200 years has shown that the main contribution to this variability makes an annual and semi-annual cycles.
Atmosphere and the structure of Saturn
The upper layers of the atmosphere by 96.3% consist of hydrogen and 3.25% of helium. There are impurities ammonia, methane, ethane, phosphine and some other gases. At the top of the atmosphere, ammonia clouds are more powerful than Jupitorian, while the clouds of the lower part consist of water or ammonium hydrosulfide.
According to the "Voyagerov" data, strong winds blow on the planet. The devices managed to register wind speed in 500 m / s. They are mainly blowing in the eastern direction. Their strength weakens simultaneously with the distance from the equator (Western atmospheric flows may appear). Studies have shown that the circulation of the atmosphere can be held in the layer of the upper clouds, but also at a depth of 2000 km. Moreover, according to the measurements of Voygera-2, it became known that winds in the northern and southern hemisphere symmetrical relative to the equator. There is a suggestion that symmetrical flows have a link under the layer of the visible atmosphere.
Sometimes sustainable formations appear in the atmosphere of Saturn, which are heavy duty hurricanes. Exactly the same objects are traced on the other gas planets of the solar system. Approximately 1 time in 30 years old on Saturn appears "Big White Oval", which was last seen in 2010 (not such large hurricanes are formed more often).
During the storms and storms on Saturn there are strong lightning discharges. Self-caused electromagnetic activity ranges over the years from the almost complete absence to heavy duty electric storms.
The device "Cassini" on December 28, 2010 photographed the storm, which resembled a cigarette smoke. Another strong storm was recorded by astronomers on May 20, 2011.
Internal structure
In the depths of the atmosphere of the planet, the temperature and pressure grow, and hydrogen goes into a liquid state, but this transition is gradual. At a depth of 30 thousand km, hydrogen becomes metallic (3 million atmospheres - pressure). The magnetic field is created by circulating electrical currents in metallic hydrogen. It is not so powerful as Jupiter. In the central part of the planet there is a powerful kernel from heavy and solid materials - metals, silicates and presumably ice. Its weight approximately ranges from 9 to 22 masses of our planet. The kernel temperature is 11,700 ° C. It is impossible not to note the fact that the energy emitted by Saturn in space, two and a half times greater than the energy he gets from the Sun. An essential part of this energy is generated by the Kelvin - Helmholtz mechanism. At a time when the temperature drops, the pressure in it is reduced accordingly, it decreases, and the energy goes into heat. But such a mechanism cannot act as the only source of energy of Saturn. Scientists assume that an additional part of the heat appears due to condensation and the subsequent drop of helium drops through the hydrogen layer of the kernel. As a consequence, the potential energy of the droplets goes into thermal. The area of \u200b\u200bthe nucleus, according to scientists, has a diameter of about 25 thousand km.
Satellites Saturn
The largest satellites of Saturn - Encelada, Mimas, Dion, The Afony, Titan, Ray and IPP. For the first time they were open in 1789, but to this day remain the main objects of the study. Their diameters vary from 397 to 5150 km. The mass distribution corresponds to the distribution of diameters. The least eccentrics of orbits possesses the Afony and Dion, the greatest - titanium. All satellites with known parameters are located above the synchronous orbit, which leads to their slow removal.
As of 2010, 62 Saturn Satellites are known. Moreover, 12 of them are open through spacecraft: "Cassini", Voyager-1, Voyager-2. Most satellites, except for the feb and hyperion, are characterized by a synchronous proper rotation - each of them always turn one side to Saturn. There are no information about the rotation of small satellites. Dion and the Theforests are accompanied by two satellites at Lagrange Lagrange and L5.
During 2006, a team of scientists under the sensitive leadership of David Jihitta, working in Hawaii, revealed to Saturna Saturnians with the help of the telescope. They attributed them to irregular satellites, distinguished by a retrograde orbit. The time of their rotation around Saturn varies from 862 to 1300 days.
The first high quality snapshots were obtained depicting one of the Tefi's satellites only in 2015.
Saturn, if you count by remoteness from the sun, is the sixth planet, and if largest, then the second. This gas giant, the mass of which exceeds a mass of 95 times. It has the lowest density of all planets and even smaller than that of water. Planet Saturn, is perhaps one of the most beautiful and mysterious. Her species amazes and manit. Fabulous rings create a feeling of something unusual, thanks to them, it is impossible to confuse him with another planet, he is the only one in his own way.
What does Saturn name mean? It is known that it comes on behalf of the Kronos God, who commanded the powerful titans in Greek mythology. The planet received this name, thanks to its gigantic size and unusual mind.
Planet parameters
Atmosphere
In the atmosphere of Saturn, strong winds are raging. Their speed is so large that is about 500 km / h, and sometimes it reaches 1500 km / h. Agree, a rather unpleasant phenomenon, but from the ground (if you look into the telescope) they look very beautiful. On the planet, the real cyclones will rake, the largest of which is a big white oval. He received this name for the appearance, and is the most powerful anticyclone, systematically appearing on the surface about once every thirty years. Its dimensions are simply gigantic, and amount to about 17 thousand kilometers.
The atmosphere of the planet is mainly of hydrogen and helium, there is quite a bit a bit of nitrogen. Ammonia clouds are observed in the upper layers.
There are also educations such as stains. True, they are not as noticeable as, for example, Jupiter, but still, some are quite large and reach about 11 thousand km. That is, quite impressive. There are light spots, they are much smaller, only about 3 thousand km, as well as brown, the size of which is 10 thousand km.
There are also stripes that, as scientists suggest, appeared from the temperature drop. There are quite a lot of them and it is in the center of the bands blowing the most powerful winds.
In the upper layers of the atmosphere is very cold. Temperature ranges from -180 ° C to -150 ° C. Though it is a terrible cold, but if inside the planet there was no nucleus heating and giving heat, then the temperature of the atmosphere would be noticeably lower, because the sun is far away.
Surface
Saturn has no solid surface, and what we see is only the tops of the clouds. Their upper layer consists of frozen ammonia, and the lower - from ammonium. The closer to the planet, the denser and the hot hydrogen atmosphere.
The inner structure is very similar to those of Jupiter. The scientists suggest that in the center of the planet is a large silicate - metal core. So, at a depth of about 30,000 km. The temperature is 10,000 ° C, and the pressure is about 3 million atmospheres. In the core itself, the pressure is even higher, as well as the temperature. It has a heat source that warms the entire planet. Saturn highlights more heat than it receives from.
The kernel is surrounded by hydrogen in a metallic state, and above it is closer to the surface, a layer of liquid molecular hydrogen, turning into its gas phase adjacent to the atmosphere. The magnetic field of the planet has a unique feature that consists in coincidence with the axis of rotation of the planet. At the Magnetosphere Saturn symmetric appearance, but the radiation poles of the right shape and have emptiness.
The first who saw the rings was the Great Galileo Galilee, and it was already in 1610. Already later, with a more powerful telescope, the Dutch Astronomer Guigens, suggested that Saturn has two rings: one is thin and one flat. In fact, they are much larger, and they consist of numerous pieces of ice, stones, of various sizes, sweeping everything on their path. Rings are just huge. The largest of them, surpasses the size of the planet 200 times. In fact, it is a garbage that remained from destroyed comets, satellites and other spacewashers.
Interestingly, rings are also called. They are located in alphabetical order, that is, it's a ring A, B, C and so on.
Saturn has only 61 satellite. They have a different form, but most of them are small sizes. Basically, ice education and only some have impurities of rocks. The names of many satellites occurred from the names of Titans, and their descendants, since the very name of the planet comes from the Kronos, which commanded them.
The largest planet satellites are Titan, Fea, Mimas, The Afony, Dion, Reia, Hyperion and IPPER. They, except for the soves, rotate synchronously and are constantly facing one side with respect to Saturn. Many researchers suggest that titanium, very similar to its structure and some other parameters with the young earth (what it was 4.6 billion years ago).
Here and the conditions are more favorable, and perhaps there are simple microorganisms. But so far, it is not possible to confirm this.
Journey to Saturn
If we went to this amazing planet now, they would see the fascinating picture. Imagine the giant Saturn, around which numerous remnants of the planets are rotating at a huge speed, pieces of comet and ice, because it is the same belt - a ring that looks so beautiful from the ground. In fact, everything is not so romantic. And above the planet clouds clouds, tightly covering the entire surface. Places, rake wild winds, rush at a huge speed, which is faster than sound speed on Earth.
At times here are lightning, and therefore we could get under their impact, the more dangerous that there is no place to hide. In general, Saturn, a rather dangerous place to find a person, as if reliably, he was protected. You can carry a hurricane or getting lightning, especially, do not forget that this is a gaseous planet, with all the consequences arising from here.
- Saturn is the most discharged planet in. The density is less than the density of water. And the rotation of the planet is so great that it is flattened by the poles.
- Saturn has a phenomenon called "Giant Hexagon". No other planet in the solar system has it. What it is? This is a rather sustainable education that represents the correct hexagon, which surrounds the North Pole of the Planet. This atmospheric phenomenon is still no one else can explain. It is assumed that this is the head of the vortex, the main mass of which is in the depths of the hydrogen atmosphere. Its dimensions are huge and amount to 25 thousand kilometers.
- If the sun was in the form of the door, the planet Earth compared to it would be the size of the coin, and Saturn as a basketball ball. These are their size in comparison.
- Saturn is a gigantic gas-based planet without a solid surface. That is, what we can see is not solid, but only the clouds.
- The average radius of the planet is 58.232 km. But despite such large sizes, it rotates quite quickly.
- On Saturn, the day lasts 10.7 hours, this is the time you need a planet to make one turn around your axis. The duration of the year is 29.5 Earth years.
- Sunny wind, crashing into the atmosphere of Saturn, creates a kind of "sounds". If you translate them into the range of audio waves hearing, it turns out a terrible melody:
Those who flew to Saturn
The very first spacecraft who reached Saturn would pioneer 11, and this event occurred in 1979. He did not land on the planet itself, and only flew relatively close, at a distance of 22,000 km. Photos were taken, which opened the light of scientists to astronomers for some questions to the Space Giant. A little later, Cassini's apparatus was able to send a probe to his satellite - Titan. He successfully landed and made more detailed pictures of both Saturn himself and Titan. And in 2009, an entire ocean of ice was discovered under the icy surface of Encelaud.
More recently, astronomers discovered the polar radiance of a new type in the atmosphere of the planet, it forms a ring around one of the poles.
The planet still pays a lot of secrets and mysteries that have to solve astronomers and scientists in the future.
Our solar system has a lot of amazing space objects, which is not weakened. One such objects is Saturn - the sixth planet of the solar system, the most amazing and unusual celestial body located in the nearest space of outer space. Huge sizes, the presence of wonderful rings, other interesting facts and features that the sixth planet has it, make it an object of close attention of astrophysician scientists.
Opening of a survey planet
Saturn, like his neighbor, a huge Jupiter, refers to the number of the largest objects of the solar system. The first information about the beautiful planet man began to assemble in the era of ancient civilizations. Egyptians, Persians and the ancient Greeks personified Saturn with the Supreme Divine, endowing a yellowish asterisk at the night sky of mystical power. The ancient peoples attached to this planet great importance, creating and forming the first calendars on it.
In the era of ancient Rome, the worship of Saturn reached its apogee, putting the beginning of Saturnia - the holidays of agriculture. Over time, the worship of Saturn has become a whole direction in the culture of ancient Romans.
The first scientific facts about the planet Saturn fall at the end of the XVI century. In that huge merit of Galileo Galilean. It was he who for the first time with his imperfect telescope placed Saturn in the number of objects of our solar system. The only thing that failed to be famous Astronoma is to detect the charming rings of the planet. Decoration of the planet in the form of huge rings, diameters at three, four times the diameter of the planet itself, found in 1610 Dutch astrophysicist Christians Guigens.
Only in the modern era, when more powerful land telescopes appeared, the scientist community managed to consider wonderful rings and detect other interesting facts about the planet Saturn.
Brief excursion to the history of the planet
The sixth planet of the solar system is among the same gas giants as Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune. Unlike the planets of the Earth Group Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars, these are real giants, the heavenly bodies of the huge size of the gaseous structure. No wonder scientists consider Saturn and Jupiter related planets, with similar atmospheric and astrophysical parameters.
Due to its surroundings represented by the whole cohort of large and small satellites, huge and bright rings, the planet is considered the most recognizable in the solar system. However, despite this, it was this planet that was studied the least. The description of the planet today is reduced to conventional and static static data, including dimensions, weight, density of the celestial body. No less scarce information on the composition of the atmosphere of the planet and its geomagnetic field. The surface of Saturn, hidden by dense gas clouds, is generally considered for astrophysics with dark stain in science.
What do we know about Saturn today? In the night sky, this planet appears quite often and is a bright pale yellow star. During the confrontation, this celestial body looks like a star with a brightness of 0.2-0.3 m star magnitude.
The relatively high brightness of the planet is explained rather a large size of the planet. Saturn has a diameter of 116,464 thousand km, which is 9.5 times more than the parameters of the Earth. A surveyed giant looks like an egg that is elongated on the poles and is flattened in the equatorial region. The average radius of the planet is just over 58 thousand km. Together with rings, the diameter of Saturn is 270 thousand km. The mass is equal to 568,360,000 trillion trillion kg.
Saturn is 95 times heavier than the Earth and is the second largest space object in the solar system after Jupiter. At the same time, the density of this monster is only 0.687 g / cm3. For comparison, the density of our blue planet is 5.51 g / cm³. In other words, a huge gas planet is lighter than water, and if you place Saturn in a huge pool with water, it would remain on the surface.
Saturn has an area over 42 billion square meters. kilometers, exceeding the surface area of \u200b\u200b87 times. The volume of the gas giant is 827.13 trillion. Cubic kilometers.
Curious data orbital position of the planet. Saturn is 10 times later from the Sun than our planet. Sunlight reaches the surface of the ocelled planet per 1 hour 20 minutes. The orbit has the third largest eccentricity, yielding only Mercury and Mars on this indicator. The orbit of the planet is distinguished by a small difference between Aflia and the perihelium, which is 1.54x108 km. The maximum Saturn is removed from the Sun to the distance 1513 783 km. The minimum distance of Saturn from the Sun is 1353600 km.
The astrophysical characteristics of the planet in comparison with other celestial objects of the solar system are quite interesting. The orbital speed of the planet is 9.6 km / s. The full turn around our central luminary occupies an incomplete 30 years. At the same time, the speed of rotation of the planet around its own axis is significantly higher than that of the Earth. The trafficking of Saturn around its own axis can be 10 hours and 33 minutes, against 24 hours for our world. In other words, Saturnian day is much shorter of the earth, but the year on the collapsed planet will last the entire 24491 of the Earth Day. The nearest planets to Saturn - Jupiter and Uranus - rotate around their own axis much slower.
A characteristic feature of the position of the planet and the speed of rotation around its own axis is the presence of a shift of the time of the year. The axis of rotation of the ocelled giant is inclined to the orbital plane under the same angle as the Earth. At Saturn also present seasons, only they are much longer: Spring, summer, autumn and winter stretch in Saturn for almost 7 years.
The giant is located from the ground at a distance of 1.28 billion kilometers. During the confrontation periods, Saturn is closest to our world at a distance of 1.20 billion kilometers.
At such huge distances, fly to the surgery gas giant with current technical capabilities will have long. The first automatic probe "Pioneer-11" flew to Saturn for more than 6 years. Another Space Skitaletz, Voyager-1 probe traveled to the gas giant for more than 3 years. The most famous spacecraft "Cassini" flew to Saturn 7 years. The latest achievement of humanity in the field of studying and mastering outer space in the area of \u200b\u200bSaturn was the flight of the automatic probe "New Horizons". This device has reached the area of \u200b\u200bthe rings after 2 years and 4 months from the date of the start on the Cape Kanaval cosmodrome.
Characteristics and composition of the atmosphere of the planet
In terms of its structure, the second largest planet of the solar system is very reminded by Jupiter. A gas giant consists of three layers. The first, the inner layer is a dense massive core consisting of silicates and metal. By their mass of the core of Saturn 20 times the harder of our planet. The temperature in the center of the nucleus reaches a value of 10-11 thousand degrees Celsius. This is explained by colossal pressure in the inner areas of the planet, which reaches 3 million atmospheres. The combination of high temperature and huge pressure leads to the fact that the planet itself is able to emit energy into the space surrounding space. Saturn gives 2.5 times more energy than getting from our star.
Scientists believe that the diameter of the nucleus is 25 thousand kilometers. If climbing above, after the core begins a layer of metallic hydrogen. Its thickness varies within 30 -40 thousand km. Behind the layer of metallic hydrogen begins the topmost layer, the so-called surface of the planet, filled with hydrogen and helium in a semi-liquid state. The layer of molecular hydrogen on Saturn is only 12 thousand km. Like other gas planets of the solar system, Saturn does not have a clear boundary between the atmosphere and the surface of the planet. A huge amount of hydrogen creates an intensive circulation of electrical currents, which, together with the magnetic axis of the planet, form a magnetic field of the Saturn. It should be noted that the magnetic shell of Saturn is inferior in its power to the magnetic field of Jupiter.
According to the composition of the atmosphere, the sixth planet of the solar system is 96% of hydrogen. Only 4% falls on helium. The thickness of the atmospheric layer on Saturn is only 60 km, but the main feature of the Saturnian atmosphere is another. The high speed of rotation of the planet around the own axis and the presence of a huge amount of hydrogen as part of the atmosphere causes a bundle of a gas shell on the strip. The clouds also mainly consist of molecular hydrogen, diluted with methane and helium. The high speed of rotation of the planet contributes to the formation of the bands that look thinner in the polar regions and are significantly expanding, approaching the equator of the planet.
Scientists believe that the presence of strips in the Saturnian atmosphere indicates a high speed of gas masses. The strongest winds are blowing on this planet in the entire solar system. According to data obtained from the side of "Cassini", the wind speed in the atmosphere of Saturn reaches the values \u200b\u200bof 1800 km / h.
Rings Saturn and his satellites
The most noteworthy object in terms of studying the sixth planet of the Solar System are its rings. Saturn satellites are no less interest due to their huge size and the presence of a solid surface.
The rings of the gas giant are a huge accumulation of space debris accumulated in Saturn regions for many billions of years. The ice and stone fragments of the cosmic substance form 7 large rings of various widths separated by 4 slots. All Rings Saturn received latin letters: A, B, C, D, E, F, and G. The gaps have the following names:
- maxwell's gap;
- shel Cassini;
- enkea's gap;
- killer's gap.
Due to the presence in the structure of the rings of a huge amount of cosmic ice, these formations are clearly visible in a powerful telescope. Armed with telecommunications with the GO-to-To from Earth, you can observe only the two largest rings of Saturn.
As for Saturn's satellites, this gas giant has no competitors among those famous celestial bodies. Officially, the planet has 62 satellites, among which the largest objects are highlighted. The second largest natural satellite in the solar system titanium, which exceeds its dimensions of the Mercury Planet, has a diameter of 5150 km. and exceeds with its dimensions of Mercury. Unlike its owner, Titan has a dense atmosphere consisting of nitrogen.
However, not Titan today is interested in scientists. The sixth satellite satellite Saturn Enzeld turned out to be a celestial body, on the surface of which traces of water were detected. This fact was first discovered thanks to the Hubble telescope pictures and was confirmed as a result of the flight of the Cassini Space Probe. In Encelada, fountaining geasers were found, extensive surface arrays covered with layer of ice. The presence of water in the geological structure of this satellite pursues scientists to the idea that the solar system can have other forms of life.
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