Planets in the Solar System By Mariah Powers

Saturn in the Solar System  The solar system is made up of the sun and nine planets along with the moons, stars, asteroids, comets, etc.  Saturn is one of the nine planets and is the sixth planet from the sun.  Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system.

What is Saturn made of?  The outer layer of Saturn is made up of molecular hydrogen.  Further beneath Saturn’s surface the molecular hydrogen changes to a metallic hydrogen (liquid metal).  The layer beneath this is a layer of “ice” and is made up of water, methane, and ammonia.  The center core is made up of rocky ice.

Saturn’s Atmosphere & Temperature  Saturn’s atmosphere is made up of hydrogen and small amounts of helium.  Saturn is 30% less dense than water…Saturn would float in an ocean!  Winds blow at high speeds on Saturn and can reach up to 1,100 miles an hour.  Saturn is very cold and its average temperature is about –130 degrees Celsius.

How many moons does Saturn have?  Saturn has 30 named moons plus one just discovered in  There are also 2 moons that were discovered in 2004, but are yet to be named.

Saturn is Unique because…  It is the planet with the most moons.  It has elliptical rings that surround the equator.  The rings are made up up dust particles, barnyard sized boulders, and ice crystals.  It is the only planet to be less dense than water.

How does Saturn function within the Solar System?  Saturn orbits the sun due to the sun’s great gravitational pull.  Saturn’s orbit around the sun takes 29.5 Earth years.  One day on Saturn is 10 hours and 39 minutes long.

Comprehension Questions  What is the Solar System?  What is one thing that Saturn is made up of?  How would you describe the winds or storms that occur on Saturn?  How many moons does Saturn have?  Why is Saturn unique?  How many Earth years does it take for Saturn to revolve around the sun?

Works Cited  California State Standards Supporting Standards for Solar System Unithttp://  Solar System Picture Black and White Solar System  Solar System Picture users.skynet.be/bk297138/nieuwzonnestelselindemelkweg.htm Planets revolving Sun  Solar System Picture Solar-system-1280_1024.jpg Floating Planets  Solar System Montage S shaped planets-excluding Plutohttp://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA03153  MetaResearch Glowing Meteorhttp://  SpaceKids spacekids.hq.nasa.gov/.../ solar_system.jpg Solar System Planets- Sizes  DeityDiva GraphicArt full/solar-system.jpg Tie Die Solar System  Solar Views raw/sun/sun.jpg Sun Picture