... the only planet that is larger. The gas giant is 72 thousand miles in diameter, almost ten times the size of Earth. In spite of its huge size, though, Saturn weighs very little. It is a very light gas planet. Saturn is the least dense planet in the solar system-- so light, in fact, that it would float in water. This planet is mostly composed ... of hydrogen and helium, like Jupiter, but it is much less dense. The combination of its light weight and fast rotation causes Saturn to spread out, or ... solar wind on the sunward side,as was found in the case of Jupiter. The atmosphere of Sat...

• Word Count: 3072
• Approx Pages: 12
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

... to make one revolution around the sun. Its day is much shorter than an Earth day since its period of rotation is around approximately ten and a half Earth hours, which is thirteen and a half hours less than Earth's day. Due to Saturn's light weight and fast rotation it causes it to spread out, or oblate, its center, when viewed through a small ... are just the top layer of a very deep layer that covers the center of liquid hydrogen. The different color gases produce belts of streak-like swirls surrounding the planet. The swirls are a series of storms on the planet's surface. The atmosph...

• Word Count: 3775
• Approx Pages: 15
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School