土星

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从太阳数起的第六颗行星,得名自罗马种植和种子之神。它是太阳系中仅次於木星的第二大非恒星体,约有地球的95倍大,重量则是地球的700倍。它的外层有大气,主要是氢气。其内部模型表明它的地核是岩石构成,周边有液态氢化金属,再往外一层是氢气分子。土星有18个冰卫星(包括最大的土卫六)和一个扩展开的光环系统,从地球上的望远镜中可以观察到主要的七个部分。土星的光环最初由伽利略在1610年观察到,是由无数不同大小的分子组成,估计包括细小的尘埃和少数几个几十公里的天体。在其表面观察到的冰分子可能组成了光环物质的大部分。土星的一天约有10.5小时,一年等於29.5个地球年。它自转很快,由地核的电子流推动,产生强大的磁场和磁气圈。其重力在大气顶部约比地球重16%。距太阳的平均距离是14,270亿公里。

Saturn

Sixth planet from the sun, named after the Roman god of sowing and seed. The second-largest nonstellar object in the solar system after Jupiter, it is about 95 times as massive as earth and has more than 700 times its volume. Its outer layers are gaseous, mainly hydrogen. Models of its interior suggest a rocky core surrounded by a shallow layer of liquid metallic hydrogen encased by an envelope of molecular hydrogen. Saturn has at least 18 icy satellites (including Titan, the biggest) and an extensive ring system, with seven main sections visible from earth with a telescope. Saturn's rings, first observed in 1610 by Galileo, are made up of countless separate particles of all sizes, estimated to range from grains of fine dust to a small number of bodies possibly tens of miles across. Water ice observed on the surfaces of the particles probably constitutes most of the ring material. Saturn's day is about 10.5 hours; its year is 29.5 earth years. Its rapid rotation, acting on electric currents in the core, generates a strong magnetic field and large magnetosphere. Its gravity at the top of its atmosphere is 16% greater than earth's. Its average distance from the sun is 887 million mi (1,427 billion km).