The First Satellite: Saturn’s Tenth Moon Was Discovered In Modern Space Age

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Jan 09, 2017 04:32 AM EST

Saturn seems to be the sixth planet from the Sun; it can be counted as the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It has one-eighth the average density of Earth, whereas the Saturn is just over 95 times more massive.

In solar system the first natural satellite was discovered and an artificial satellite has been found circling Saturn. The first satellite of the ringed planet discovered in the 20th century was Saturn's 10th moon, named as Janus in 1983. Whereas, Dr. Audouin Dollfus is the Physical Astronomy at Meudon, France, spotted Saturn's 10th satellite, according to Science News in January 14, 1967.

Saturn's interior core is composed of iron-nickel and rock (silicon and oxygen compounds). It is surrounded by a deep layer of metallic hydrogen. It has a pale yellow hue due to ammonia crystals in its upper atmosphere. Its magnetic field strength is around one-twentieth of Jupiter's. On Saturn Wind speeds can reach 1,800 km/hr, higher than on Jupiter, but not as like on Neptune.

Saturn is based on a ring system and it consists of nine continuous main rings and three discontinuous arcs and it is mostly composed of ice particles with a smaller amount of rocky debris and dust. 62 moons are known to orbit Saturn in which 53 are officially named. The Titan is the Saturn's largest moon, and the second largest in the Solar System and larger than the planet Mercury, as per Space.

It shares an orbit with the moon Epimetheus, after Janus' discovery, although no one had realized that they were separate entities until 1978. Water erupts from Enceladus, Hyperion is blanketed with bizarre terrain resembling a sponge from afar and methane lakes dot Titan's surface. Since 2004, Cassini is in orbit and it will end its mission in September by plunging into Saturn's atmosphere.

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