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Saturn 101 | National Geographic


with its gold color and stunning rings

with its gold color and stunning rings Saturn is quite a planetary gem Saturn

Saturn is quite a planetary gem Saturn

Saturn is quite a planetary gem Saturn is the second largest of the eight

is the second largest of the eight

is the second largest of the eight planets and it is about ten times as

planets and it is about ten times as

planets and it is about ten times as wide as Earth despite its size saturn is

wide as Earth despite its size saturn is

wide as Earth despite its size saturn is actually the lightest planet it is

actually the lightest planet it is

actually the lightest planet it is predominantly made of the gases hydrogen

predominantly made of the gases hydrogen

predominantly made of the gases hydrogen and helium and because of its particular

and helium and because of its particular

and helium and because of its particular gaseous composition saturn is the only

gaseous composition saturn is the only

gaseous composition saturn is the only planet in the solar system that’s less

planet in the solar system that’s less

planet in the solar system that’s less dense than water if the planet were

dense than water if the planet were

dense than water if the planet were placed on an enormous ocean it would be

placed on an enormous ocean it would be

placed on an enormous ocean it would be able to float

able to float

able to float Saturn’s gaseous makeup also means that

Saturn’s gaseous makeup also means that

Saturn’s gaseous makeup also means that it has no true surface at its centre the

it has no true surface at its centre the

it has no true surface at its centre the planet has a dense core of water ice and

planet has a dense core of water ice and

planet has a dense core of water ice and rocky material but it has no actual

rocky material but it has no actual

rocky material but it has no actual landmass instead it’s mostly made of

landmass instead it’s mostly made of

landmass instead it’s mostly made of gases liquids and yellow ammonia

gases liquids and yellow ammonia

gases liquids and yellow ammonia crystals that swirl around the planet

crystals that swirl around the planet

crystals that swirl around the planet creating golden clouds and storms the

creating golden clouds and storms the

creating golden clouds and storms the largest storm on Saturn is at its North

largest storm on Saturn is at its North

largest storm on Saturn is at its North Pole it’s over twice the size of Earth

Pole it’s over twice the size of Earth

Pole it’s over twice the size of Earth and shaped in a near-perfect hexagon

and shaped in a near-perfect hexagon

and shaped in a near-perfect hexagon each of the six size is believed to be

each of the six size is believed to be

each of the six size is believed to be the result of jet streams which all

the result of jet streams which all

the result of jet streams which all encircle a massive hurricane because of

encircle a massive hurricane because of

encircle a massive hurricane because of Saturn’s inhospitable environment the

Saturn’s inhospitable environment the

Saturn’s inhospitable environment the planet cannot support life but some of

planet cannot support life but some of

planet cannot support life but some of its moons might Saturn has more than 50

its moons might Saturn has more than 50

its moons might Saturn has more than 50 confirmed moons and each varies in size

confirmed moons and each varies in size

confirmed moons and each varies in size and terrain Enceladus one of Saturn’s

and terrain Enceladus one of Saturn’s

and terrain Enceladus one of Saturn’s smallest moons is covered in ice and

smallest moons is covered in ice and

smallest moons is covered in ice and only about as wide as a state of

only about as wide as a state of

only about as wide as a state of Pennsylvania Titan Saturn’s largest moon

Pennsylvania Titan Saturn’s largest moon

Pennsylvania Titan Saturn’s largest moon is nearly as wide as Canada Titan is

is nearly as wide as Canada Titan is

is nearly as wide as Canada Titan is also the only moon in the solar system

also the only moon in the solar system

also the only moon in the solar system with clouds and advanced atmosphere both

with clouds and advanced atmosphere both

with clouds and advanced atmosphere both Titan and Enceladus have underground

Titan and Enceladus have underground

Titan and Enceladus have underground oceans that would make them potentially

oceans that would make them potentially

oceans that would make them potentially capable of sustaining life Saturn’s

capable of sustaining life Saturn’s

capable of sustaining life Saturn’s moons may also play a role in shaping

moons may also play a role in shaping

moons may also play a role in shaping the planets signature feature it’s rings

the planets signature feature it’s rings

the planets signature feature it’s rings Saturn’s ring system is the largest and

Saturn’s ring system is the largest and

Saturn’s ring system is the largest and most complex in the entire solar system

most complex in the entire solar system

most complex in the entire solar system the rings are made of icy and rocky

the rings are made of icy and rocky

the rings are made of icy and rocky remnants from comets asteroids and moons

remnants from comets asteroids and moons

remnants from comets asteroids and moons the particles range in size from being

the particles range in size from being

the particles range in size from being as small as dust to as big as mountains

as small as dust to as big as mountains

as small as dust to as big as mountains the ring system is divided into seven

the ring system is divided into seven

the ring system is divided into seven groups of rings altogether there are as

groups of rings altogether there are as

groups of rings altogether there are as wide as four and a half earths but only

wide as four and a half earths but only

wide as four and a half earths but only about two-thirds of a mile thick how the

about two-thirds of a mile thick how the

about two-thirds of a mile thick how the Rings are able to stay on track and

Rings are able to stay on track and

Rings are able to stay on track and intact has to do with Saturn’s smallest

intact has to do with Saturn’s smallest

intact has to do with Saturn’s smallest moons called shepherding moons these

moons called shepherding moons these

moons called shepherding moons these tiny satellites orbit between the Rings

tiny satellites orbit between the Rings

tiny satellites orbit between the Rings and they seem to use their gravity to

and they seem to use their gravity to

and they seem to use their gravity to shape the ring material into circular

shape the ring material into circular

shape the ring material into circular paths Saturn has fascinated scientists

paths Saturn has fascinated scientists

paths Saturn has fascinated scientists and amateur astronomers alike for

and amateur astronomers alike for

and amateur astronomers alike for thousands of years the ancient Greeks

thousands of years the ancient Greeks

thousands of years the ancient Greeks and Romans who named the planet after

and Romans who named the planet after

and Romans who named the planet after the god of agriculture believed it was a

the god of agriculture believed it was a

the god of agriculture believed it was a star it wasn’t until the 17th century

star it wasn’t until the 17th century

star it wasn’t until the 17th century after the telescope was invented that

after the telescope was invented that

after the telescope was invented that scientists like Galileo Galilei

scientists like Galileo Galilei

scientists like Galileo Galilei Christian Huygens and Giovanni Cassini

Christian Huygens and Giovanni Cassini

Christian Huygens and Giovanni Cassini could take a much closer look only then

could take a much closer look only then

could take a much closer look only then was Saturn’s planetary status discovered

was Saturn’s planetary status discovered

was Saturn’s planetary status discovered and ultimately its many moons and

and ultimately its many moons and

and ultimately its many moons and brilliant rings because of its planet

brilliant rings because of its planet

brilliant rings because of its planet like moons lightweight composition and

like moons lightweight composition and

like moons lightweight composition and dazzling ring system Saturn continues to

dazzling ring system Saturn continues to

dazzling ring system Saturn continues to mesmerize us to this day

[Music]

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