Sunday, October 23, 2011

Saturn





The bewitching Saturn
Saturn – one of four gas giants of Solar system. It is the sixth (if to consider from the Sun) and second-large (after Jupiter) a planet of our system. The wide public Saturn is known first of all for the rings (it is necessary to notice that rings are at all gas giants of Solar system, is simple at Saturn they are most brightly expressed), however not only rings do this planet such interesting. Here some the curious facts about a planet Saturn:
1. On Saturn are fixed (thanks to devices "Voyagers") the strongest of a wind in Solar system. Their speed reaches 500 km/s. The basic direction of an air stream – east (as well as a direction of axial rotation). However in the course of removal from planet equator the western air currents are shown also. The data obtained by scientists testifies that a wind is not limited to the top layer of clouds, but also extends inside, at least on 2 thousand kilometres. Besides, a wind of northern and southern hemispheres are symmetric and, most likely, are somehow connected under a visible layer of atmosphere.

2. Saturn has four basic (greatest) of a ring and some the small. All of them are named by letters of the Latin alphabet. Presence at Saturn of rings has fixed Christians of Gjujgens in 1659 (then he assumed that this one ring). He has assumed that this ring not continuous, and consists of a large quantity of the smallest particles, from several centimetres to several metres. In further, Giovanni Domeniko Kassini, being engaged in researches of a planet since 1675, has found out that already known ring of Saturn consists of two rings and has opened "crack" between them, named in its honour. It is known that rings of Saturn very thin (their thickness does not exceed kilometre) and in case they are turned to the earth by an end face to distinguish them even in most moshchniye telescopes from the Earth it is almost impossible. As scientists consider, the core “a building material” for planet rings is ice.
3. Some clouds on a planet Saturn obrazovyvajut almost correct hexagon of the huge sizes (in it four mother Earth can be located). For the first time it has been fixed in the eighties the XX-th centuries, by means of device "Voyager". The images received through twenty with superfluous years (by means of space vehicle "Kassini-Gjujgens") have shown that this formation remains stable. The adequate scientific explanation of it to a phenomenon is not present till now.
4. On Saturn there is no firm surface as that. Two basic elements, a part of a planet: helium and hydrogen (the most easy elements from existing in the world). Thus, despite the huge sizes and weight (which in 95 times more than weight of mother Earth), Saturn the least dense planet in all Solar system, only 0,69 g/sm3, that is its density more low, than water density. If in the Universe there was a reservoir with the suitable sizes it is a planet simply would float in it!

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