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Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest.
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Saturn is flattened at the poles, due to a fast rotation on its axis.
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Galileo discovered Saturn in 1610, and was confused by its strange
appearance in his telescope.
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Saturn is a gas planet, like Jupiter, and is large enough and far
enough away from the Sun to retain its original primitive gases. The
atmosphere on Saturn is primarily composed of hydrogen, with small
amounts of helium and methane.
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Saturn is the only planet in our solar system that is less dense that
water.
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Saturn is well known for it's beautiful ring
system, which are composed of millions of particles and large chunks
of ice and snow. The ring system is divided into various parts,
including rings and gaps. The bright A and B rings are separated by a
large gap called the Cassini Division. Radial "spokes"
composed of fine particles, about the size of dust specks, were found
in the B-Ring by the Voyager.
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Wind blows at high speeds on Saturn, reaching velocities of 500 meters
a second (1,100 miles an hour) at the equator.
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Saturn has 18 known moons.
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Saturn was the god of agriculture in Roman mythology. Saturn is also
the father of Jupiter, the king of the Roman gods.
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