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Rolf's Astrophotography
  • An Astrophotography Journey!
  • Clusters
    • Globular Clusters
      • M13 – Hercules Cluster
    • Open Clusters
      • M45 – The Pleiades
  • Galaxies
    • Elliptical Galaxies
      • Markarian’s Chain with M84, M86, and M87
    • Irregular Galaxies
    • Spiral Galaxies
      • M31 – Andromeda Galaxy
      • M33 – Triangulum Galaxy
      • M51 – Whirlpool Galaxy
      • M64 – Black Eye Galaxy
      • M81 – Bodes Galaxy
      • NGC 4565 (C38) – Needle Galaxy
  • Nebulas
    • Dark Nebulas
      • IC 434 – Horsehead Nebula
    • Emission Nebulas
      • IC 1805 – Heart Nebula
      • IC 1848 – Soul Nebula
      • IC 405 – Flaming Star Nebula
      • M42 – Orion Nebula
      • NGC 2237 – Rosette Nebula
      • NGC 6888 – Crescent Nebula
      • NGC 7000 – North America Nebula
      • Sadr and the Gamma Cygni Nebula (IC 1318)
    • Planetary Nebulas
      • M27 – Dumbbell Nebula
      • M57 – Ring Nebula
    • Reflection Nebulas
      • M78
      • NGC 7023 – Iris Nebula
    • Supernova Remnants
      • M1 – Crab Nebula
  • Solar System
    • Comets
    • The Moon
    • Jupiter
    • Mars
    • Saturn
  • The Gear
    • APO107 Configuration Example
    • APO94 Configuration Example
    • MN190 Configuration Example
    • RC8″ Configuration Example
Rolf's Astrophotography

Saturn

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant with an average radius of about nine and a half times that of Earth. It has only one-eighth the average density of Earth, but is over 95 times more massive.

Saturn’s interior is most likely composed of a rocky core, surrounded by a deep layer of metallic hydrogen, an intermediate layer of liquid hydrogen and liquid helium, and finally, a gaseous outer layer. Saturn has a pale yellow hue due to ammonia crystals in its upper atmosphere. An electrical current within the metallic hydrogen layer is thought to give rise to Saturn’s planetary magnetic field, which is weaker than Earth’s, but which has a magnetic moment 580 times that of Earth due to Saturn’s larger size. The outer atmosphere is generally bland and lacking in contrast, although long-lived features can appear. Wind speeds on Saturn can reach 1,800 kilometres per hour.

The planet’s most notable feature is its prominent ring system, which is composed mainly of ice particles, with a smaller amount of rocky debris and dust. At least 83 moons are known to orbit Saturn, of which 53 are officially named; this does not include the hundreds of moonlets in its rings. Titan, Saturn’s largest moon and the second largest in the Solar System, is larger (while less massive) than the planet Mercury and is the only moon in the Solar System to have a substantial atmosphere

Saturn
Saturn
Saturn with MN190 reflector telescope and ASI 120MC color camera from Hammarby in October 2022. Exposure without Barlow.
Saturn
Saturn
Saturn with MN190 reflector telescope and ASI 120MC color camera from Hammarby in October 2022. Exposure with 2x Barlow.
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