Saturn from HST

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Saturn from HST
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Saturn from Voyager
a 9.5 AU
P 29.5 yr
i (orb) 2.5o
e 0.056
Prot 0.43 d
i (rot) 27o
R 9.5 RE
M 95 ME
r 0.69 g/cc
g 1 gE
vesc 36 km/s
A 0.46
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Oblateness of Saturn
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Saturn Highlights

• Magnetic field about 2/3 of Earths
• Atmosphere and interior structure similar to
  Jupiter
• Yellowish-tan clouds and fewer dynamic storms
• Rings are splendoriforous!

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Saturns Magnetosphere
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Multi-Wavelength Saturn
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Saturnian Atmosphere
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Interior of Saturn
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Internal Heat of Saturn

• Sat. receives on 25 as much sunlight as Jup.
• Yet, Sat. emits 50 more than what it absorbs!
• Similar to Jup., but for same reason?
• No! Heat from gravitational contraction should
  now be gone, since Sat. is smaller

• Instead, He may be draining thru metallic H
  mantle to the core, thereby liberating heat
• In hotter Jup., He remains dissolved no
  draining
• Consequence He depleted in Sat. atm. explains
  why He/H 1/4 for Jup. but 1/7 for Sat.

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Artsy Ring World

• 1610 Galileo first observed the rings of
  Saturn, but not clearly appeared more like
  appendages (sorta like a triple planet)
• 1660s Rings clearly seen to encircle the
  planet ring gaps discovered (Cassinis division,
  Enckes division)
• 1859 Maxwell shows that the rings cannot be
  solid
• 1895 Keeler confirms Maxwell with measurements

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The Rings of Saturn

• Rings are 200,000 km across, but less than 0.2 km
  thick!
• Consist mostly of icy particles, ranging in size
  from 1 cm to 10 m
• Rings reside inside the Roche Limit
• Main features
• Gaps
• Sharp edges
• Spokes
• Shepherding satellites

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Saturns Rings
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Enceladus Above the Rings
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Spokes on the Rings
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Scale Model of Saturnian System
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Rings of the Gas Giants