What Is the Atmosphere of Saturn?

Saturn, the planet sixth in order from the Sun, is a giant planet famous for the spectacular series of rings that orbit around it. Saturn possesses an atmosphere that nothing on Earth could breathe and still survive.

Features

Saturn's atmosphere contains about 97 percent hydrogen, with the rest made up of helium and methane. The pressure the atmosphere exerts near what should be Saturn's surface creates liquid hydrogen, with a layer of liquefied helium beneath that.

Considerations

This mix of hydrogen and helium envelops a rocky core that scientists believe is 10 times the mass of Earth. Saturn does not have a surface like Earth or Mars has; its atmosphere changes from gaseous to liquid due to the intense pressure on the layers below.

Size

The winds of Saturn are extremely violent, with some clocked at speeds of 1,100 mph.

Color

Saturn appears yellow to the observer with a telescope, due to large amounts of sulfur in its atmosphere.

Types

Saturn's troposphere, the layer of its atmosphere where weather occurs, contains three distinct cloud decks. The upper layer contains clouds of ammonia, the second layer has clouds of ammonium hydrosulfide and the last layer is water droplets.

References

• Saturn's Composition and Atmosphere
• Views of the Solar System: Saturn
• European Space Agency: Saturn's Atmosphere