Saturn (space!)

Asteroids, Meteors, and Comets The Dwarf Planet Pluto Earth and the Moon Jupiter Mars Mercury Neptune Saturn The Stars The Sun Uranus Venus Saturn saturn Titles in This Series Hicks Saturn’s distinctive rings make it one of the most easily recognizable planets in our Solar System. But this gas giant is more than just a ringed planet. It is the second-largest planet in the Solar System and has more than sixty moons. Saturn explores these planetary features and is full of many other fascinating facts. Learn about new discoveries, innovative technologies, and incredible explorations that have given us many answers to our questions about outer space. So come along on this incredible journey through Space! Terry allan Hicks saturn Terry allan Hicks 1 Marshall Cavendish Benchmark 99 White Plains Road Tarrytown, New York 10591 www.marshallcavendish.us Text copyright © 2010 by Marshall Cavendish Corporation All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the copyright holders. All websites were accurate and available when this book went to press. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Hicks, Terry Allan. Saturn / by Terry Allan Hicks. p. cm. -- (Space!) Summary: “Describes Saturn, including its history, its composition, and its role in the solar system”--Provided by publisher. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-7614-4559-3 1. Saturn (Planet)--Juvenile literature. I. Title. QB671.H53 2010 523.46--dc22 2008037453 Editor: Karen Ang Publisher: Michelle Bisson Art Director: Anahid Hamparian Series Design by Daniel Roode Production by nSight, Inc. Front cover: A computer illustration of Saturn Title page: The surface of Rhea, one of Saturn’s moons Photo research by Candlepants Incorporated Front cover: Brand X / Super Stock The photographs in this book are used by permission and through the courtesy of: Super Stock: Pixtal, 1, 12; Digital Vision Ltd., 9, 39, 58. Corbis: 4, 5, 30, 32, 33; NASA/Roger Ressmeyer, 14; STScI/NASA, 35. Art Resource, NY: Réunion des Musées Nationaux, 7; Erich Lessing, 21. Getty Images: Kevin Kelley, 10. Photo Researchers Inc.: Mark Garlick, 15, 34; The Bridgeman Art Library, 20; Mary Evans, 23; 25. A P Images: NASA, 18, 19; European Space Agency/ESOC, 50. The Image Works: World History / Topham, 27; Oxford Science Archive / Heritage-Images, 24. NASA: Ames Research Center, 29; J PL/Space Science Institute, 36, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 55; J PL/J HUA PL, 51; Craig Attebery, 53; ESA/ J PL/University of Arizona, 54. Illustration on page 17 by Mapping Specialists © Marshall Cavendish Corporation. Printed in Malaysia 123456 Chapter 1 The Ringed Planet 5 Chapter 2 Saturn through the Ages 19 Chapter 3 A Closer Look 33 Chapter 4 Saturn and Beyond 47 Quick Facts about Saturn 58 Glossary 59 Find Out More 61 bibliography 62 Index 63 1 THE RINGED PLaNET On July 1, 2004, a spacecraft approached the planet Saturn, a mysterious celestial object that has fascinated people on Earth for centuries. The unmanned vehicle, named Cassini-Huygens, had been launched from the space center at Cape Canaveral, Florida, almost seven years earlier. As the spacecraft neared the planet, it slowed itself down and allowed Saturn’s gravity to capture it. For at least the next four years, Cassini-Huygens would circle—or orbit—Saturn, while the spacecraft’s highly sensitive instruments sent back valuable new information. Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and is t