Saturn inside and out

Saturn is often compared with Jupiter, but it can hold its own

Saturn is one of the gas giants because it has no solid surface and it’s mostly composed of gas. But it does have a rocky core, which is similar in composition to the Earth’s. Comprising iron, nickel and silicate rock, it is estimated to be somewhere between 10 and 20 times the size of the Earth’s core. Surrounding the core, there’s a layer of ice made of ammonia and other elements, then a layer of highly pressurised metallic hydrogen, and finally molecular hydrogen that changes from a liquid to a gas. The outer layers of the planet are different types of ice, including ammonia, ammonium hydrosulphide and water. The cloud cover is mostly coloured yellow by ammonia, and there’s a mild weather system. Density, pressure and temperature all increase as…

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All About Space Book of the Solar System (Digital) - 1 Issue, All About Space Book Of The Solar System 4th Edition

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