ICY SCIENCE: SCIENCE SPACE ASTRONOMY Spring 2014 | Page 22

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Saturn is a strange world, it has no solid surface, and its atmosphere bleeds into a liquid body. The planet
is primarily made of Hydrogen and Helium. Making up the rest is water, ammonia and methane ices.
Saturn’s clouds are composed of Hydrogen and Helium Gases with Methane, Ammonia and Water ice
crystals. When you dive deeper into the planet the clouds become denser and pressure mounts. Eventually
you will find yourself in a molecular hydrogen liquid. It is possible this liquid surrounds a rocky hot core.
Conductive layers around the core are thought to produce Saturn’s magnetic field.
Images: Above Wikipedia, Bottom: NASA Opposite: D Bood

Saturn Facts
Saturn radiates 79% more
energy than it receives from
the sun.

ICY SCIENCE | QTR 2 SPRING 2014