Exploring Saturn's Biggest Moon
What was the first moon discovered of Saturn?
Titan
What are the 2 main components of Saturn's atmosphere?
Hydrogen and helium
(methane and ammonia) also good
What is the primary composition of Saturn's rings?
Ice and rock particles
The Great White Spot typically appears on Saturn about every ____ years.
30
Who first saw Saturn through a telescope?
Galileo Galilei
Why is Titan unique?
all acceptable answers
dense atmosphere
most Earth-like
conditions suitable for life
What is Saturn's Hexagon?
(All acceptable answers)
Saturn's hexagon is a six-sided jet stream at the planet's north pole.
It forms due to differences in wind speeds at various latitudes.
The shape comes from a standing wave pattern in the atmosphere.
Define Roche Limit.
Roche Limit: the closest distance from the center of a planet that a satellite can approach without being pulled apart by the planet's gravitational field
Where is the Great White Storm located at on Saturn?
The northern hemisphere
What is eccentricity and describe Saturn's?
Eccentricity--how much an orbit deviates from being a perfect circle
Saturn's: Low eccentricity; quite circular; 0.056
Who discovered Titan?
Titan was discovered by Christiaan Huygens in 1655, making it the first known moon of Saturn.
Saturn’s atmosphere is mostly made up of hydrogen and helium, but it also has trace amounts of ______, which gives it a yellowish color.
Ammonia
What did the first astronomer who observed the rings of Saturn describe the rings as?
Initially described them (rings) as "ears" or a triple-bodied planet.
About how fast are the winds and storms on Saturn?
High winds that can reach up to 1,800 km/h (1,100 mph) in some regions, and these storms often create vivid cloud patterns.
Compare Saturn's axis tilt and rotation period compared to Earth.
(all acceptable answers)
Axis tilt: Saturn--26.7 degrees; Similar to Earth; experiences season similar to Earth; seasons longer
Rotation period: Saturn--10.7 hours; Earth--24 hours; Shorter days compared to Earth; longer rotation around sun
Contrast Saturn's moon Titan with Earth's moon. (Use your knowledge of the Moon and what we learned during the presentation.)
Titan and Earth's Moon are similar size and have similar surface gravity. The Moon is denser. Titan is icy, colder, and has a thick atmosphere.
Why does the atmosphere of Saturn appear to have only half the helium content of Jupiter?
Much of Saturn's helium has differentiated towards its center.
The reason the rings of Saturn exist is because ____________
the ring material lies within the Roche limit of saturn
Which spacecraft studied the Great White Spot in detail?
The Cassini spacecraft.
What kind of shape is Saturn? (define after)
Oblate spheroid--flattened at poles and buldges at equator
Why was it thought that Titan may have oceans of Methane?
The atmospheric pressure at Titan's surface and its surface temperature are such that methance should be liquid on Titan's surface.
large mass
Name the 7 main ring groups of Saturn.
What are the top 3 groups:
7 main ring groups: A, B, C, D, E, F, G
Top 3: A, B, C
What is the Great White Spot on Saturn?
The Great White Spot is a massive, periodic storm that occurs on Saturn, typically every 30 years. It is a large, bright storm system that spans thousands of kilometers and is visible in the planet's northern hemisphere.
How is Saturn's density compared to water?
Saturn has a lower density than water. In fact, it is the least dense planet in the solar system. If there were a large enough body of water, Saturn would float in it because its average density is less than that of water.