Saturn

9.5 Dearth

Same atmosphere as Jupiter, but cloud obscures belts and zones.

Tilt 26.7 degrees, Day = 10.5 hours, very oblate

1/20th magnetic field of Jupiter

Features: belts and zones like Jupiter, small rocky core,                 

occasional storms. Explored by Voyager I, II in 1979.

Rings: 8 Rings--100,000 miles in diameter.

   Gaps are less visible rings, in particular Cassini Division.

   F Ring braided and shaped by shepherd moons.

   20-100 m thick, kept from assembling by tidal force.

   Composed of ice and dust particles a micron to 10 m in size.

   They disappear for a few weeks every 15 years.

   Source may be unassembled nebula particles, broken up                 

moons, or magnetic segregation.

   Spokes--black radial clouds caused by interaction with                   

planetary magnetic field.

Moons: 18. Titan--larger than Mercury, thick atmosphere

(98 % N, 2% Methane, 1.6 Pearth). Liquid methane or Nitrogen oceans,

similar to early conditions on earth except very cold.  Hydrogen cyanide, ethane,

and other organic compounds possible on surface. Bright, icy continents.

Other moons are shiny, icy on the surface with some flow from interior,

very cratered.