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!Solar/Describe/saturn
This website contains an archive of files for the Acorn Electron, BBC Micro, Acorn Archimedes, Commodore 16 and Commodore 64 computers, which Dominic Ford has rescued from his private collection of floppy disks and cassettes.
Some of these files were originally commercial releases in the 1980s and 1990s, but they are now widely available online. I assume that copyright over them is no longer being asserted. If you own the copyright and would like files to be removed, please contact me.
| Tape/disk: | Home » Archimedes archive » Zipped Apps » Orrery |
| Filename: | !Solar/Describe/saturn |
| Read OK: | ✔ |
| File size: | 084A bytes |
| Load address: | 0000 |
| Exec address: | 0000 |
File contents
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun. It is the second largest of the four gas giants in the solar system, but is also the lightest, having only one half the density of Jupiter. There are many moons orbiting the planet, only nine of which are particularly significant, Titan being the largest with a diameter of 5,150km and possessing an atmosphere of its own. Titan is the only planetary satellite known to have an atmosphere, most of which is made up of nitrogen. Other moons are Rhea (1,530km), Iapetus (1,460km), Dione (1,120km), Tethys (1,000km), Enceladus (500km), Mimas (392km), Phoebe (220km) and Hyperion which is elongated and measures 205km by 110km. The planet has an extensive system of rings which are composed of icy particles ranging in size from pebbles to beach balls. These rings appear from Earth as distinct bands with divisions between them, the main rings being designated a letter to identify them, while the gaps are named after the astronomers who first discovered them. Spacecraft data taken close to the rings reveals many more such bands with finer detail. This data also indicated that the ring thickness was no more than 150m, with their temperature in sunlight at around -180 degrees C and as low as -200 degrees C in shadow. A few of the smaller moons lay within the ring system and are seen to influence their surroundings. For example two moons, Prometheus and Pandora, are seen to "shepherd" the particles of a ring held between them. The composition of the planet is very similar to that of Jupiter, with a silicate core surrounded by liquid hydrogen and a deep gaseous hydrogen atmosphere. This atmosphere is cooler than Jupiters and while displaying similar banding, the colouring is less vivid due to a haze of ammonia crystals at its outer reaches. Wind speeds of up to 1,400kph have been detected, and give an indication of extreme meteorological activity. After a brief fly-pass by Pioneer 11 in 1979, Voyagers 1 and 2 sent back much important information about the planet, its satellites and rings during their encounters in 1980 and 1981.
00000000 53 61 74 75 72 6e 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 73 69 |Saturn is the si| 00000010 78 74 68 20 70 6c 61 6e 65 74 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 |xth planet from | 00000020 74 68 65 20 53 75 6e 2e 20 49 74 20 69 73 20 74 |the Sun. It is t| 00000030 68 65 20 73 65 63 6f 6e 64 20 0a 6c 61 72 67 65 |he second .large| 00000040 73 74 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 66 6f 75 72 20 67 |st of the four g| 00000050 61 73 20 67 69 61 6e 74 73 20 69 6e 20 74 68 65 |as giants in the| 00000060 20 73 6f 6c 61 72 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 2c 20 62 | solar system, b| 00000070 75 74 20 69 73 20 61 6c 73 6f 20 0a 74 68 65 20 |ut is also .the | 00000080 6c 69 67 68 74 65 73 74 2c 20 68 61 76 69 6e 67 |lightest, having| 00000090 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 6f 6e 65 20 68 61 6c 66 20 74 | only one half t| 000000a0 68 65 20 64 65 6e 73 69 74 79 20 6f 66 20 4a 75 |he density of Ju| 000000b0 70 69 74 65 72 2e 20 0a 54 68 65 72 65 20 61 72 |piter. .There ar| 000000c0 65 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 6d 6f 6f 6e 73 20 6f 72 62 |e many moons orb| 000000d0 69 74 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 20 70 6c 61 6e 65 74 |iting the planet| 000000e0 2c 20 6f 6e 6c 79 20 6e 69 6e 65 20 6f 66 20 77 |, only nine of w| 000000f0 68 69 63 68 20 0a 61 72 65 20 70 61 72 74 69 63 |hich .are partic| 00000100 75 6c 61 72 6c 79 20 73 69 67 6e 69 66 69 63 61 |ularly significa| 00000110 6e 74 2c 20 54 69 74 61 6e 20 62 65 69 6e 67 20 |nt, Titan being | 00000120 74 68 65 20 6c 61 72 67 65 73 74 20 0a 77 69 74 |the largest .wit| 00000130 68 20 61 20 64 69 61 6d 65 74 65 72 20 6f 66 20 |h a diameter of | 00000140 35 2c 31 35 30 6b 6d 20 61 6e 64 20 70 6f 73 73 |5,150km and poss| 00000150 65 73 73 69 6e 67 20 61 6e 20 61 74 6d 6f 73 70 |essing an atmosp| 00000160 68 65 72 65 20 6f 66 20 69 74 73 20 0a 6f 77 6e |here of its .own| 00000170 2e 20 54 69 74 61 6e 20 69 73 20 74 68 65 20 6f |. Titan is the o| 00000180 6e 6c 79 20 70 6c 61 6e 65 74 61 72 79 20 73 61 |nly planetary sa| 00000190 74 65 6c 6c 69 74 65 20 6b 6e 6f 77 6e 20 74 6f |tellite known to| 000001a0 20 68 61 76 65 20 61 6e 20 0a 61 74 6d 6f 73 70 | have an .atmosp| 000001b0 68 65 72 65 2c 20 6d 6f 73 74 20 6f 66 20 77 68 |here, most of wh| 000001c0 69 63 68 20 69 73 20 6d 61 64 65 20 75 70 20 6f |ich is made up o| 000001d0 66 20 6e 69 74 72 6f 67 65 6e 2e 20 4f 74 68 65 |f nitrogen. Othe| 000001e0 72 20 6d 6f 6f 6e 73 20 0a 61 72 65 20 52 68 65 |r moons .are Rhe| 000001f0 61 20 28 31 2c 35 33 30 6b 6d 29 2c 20 49 61 70 |a (1,530km), Iap| 00000200 65 74 75 73 20 28 31 2c 34 36 30 6b 6d 29 2c 20 |etus (1,460km), | 00000210 44 69 6f 6e 65 20 28 31 2c 31 32 30 6b 6d 29 2c |Dione (1,120km),| 00000220 20 54 65 74 68 79 73 20 0a 28 31 2c 30 30 30 6b | Tethys .(1,000k| 00000230 6d 29 2c 20 45 6e 63 65 6c 61 64 75 73 20 28 35 |m), Enceladus (5| 00000240 30 30 6b 6d 29 2c 20 4d 69 6d 61 73 20 28 33 39 |00km), Mimas (39| 00000250 32 6b 6d 29 2c 20 50 68 6f 65 62 65 20 28 32 32 |2km), Phoebe (22| 00000260 30 6b 6d 29 20 61 6e 64 20 0a 48 79 70 65 72 69 |0km) and .Hyperi| 00000270 6f 6e 20 77 68 69 63 68 20 69 73 20 65 6c 6f 6e |on which is elon| 00000280 67 61 74 65 64 20 61 6e 64 20 6d 65 61 73 75 72 |gated and measur| 00000290 65 73 20 32 30 35 6b 6d 20 62 79 20 31 31 30 6b |es 205km by 110k| 000002a0 6d 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 70 6c 61 6e 65 74 20 68 |m...The planet h| 000002b0 61 73 20 61 6e 20 65 78 74 65 6e 73 69 76 65 20 |as an extensive | 000002c0 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 6f 66 20 72 69 6e 67 73 20 |system of rings | 000002d0 77 68 69 63 68 20 61 72 65 20 63 6f 6d 70 6f 73 |which are compos| 000002e0 65 64 20 0a 6f 66 20 69 63 79 20 70 61 72 74 69 |ed .of icy parti| 000002f0 63 6c 65 73 20 72 61 6e 67 69 6e 67 20 69 6e 20 |cles ranging in | 00000300 73 69 7a 65 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 70 65 62 62 6c 65 |size from pebble| 00000310 73 20 74 6f 20 62 65 61 63 68 20 0a 62 61 6c 6c |s to beach .ball| 00000320 73 2e 20 54 68 65 73 65 20 72 69 6e 67 73 20 61 |s. These rings a| 00000330 70 70 65 61 72 20 66 72 6f 6d 20 45 61 72 74 68 |ppear from Earth| 00000340 20 61 73 20 64 69 73 74 69 6e 63 74 20 62 61 6e | as distinct ban| 00000350 64 73 20 77 69 74 68 20 0a 64 69 76 69 73 69 6f |ds with .divisio| 00000360 6e 73 20 62 65 74 77 65 65 6e 20 74 68 65 6d 2c |ns between them,| 00000370 20 74 68 65 20 6d 61 69 6e 20 72 69 6e 67 73 20 | the main rings | 00000380 62 65 69 6e 67 20 64 65 73 69 67 6e 61 74 65 64 |being designated| 00000390 20 61 20 0a 6c 65 74 74 65 72 20 74 6f 20 69 64 | a .letter to id| 000003a0 65 6e 74 69 66 79 20 74 68 65 6d 2c 20 77 68 69 |entify them, whi| 000003b0 6c 65 20 74 68 65 20 67 61 70 73 20 61 72 65 20 |le the gaps are | 000003c0 6e 61 6d 65 64 20 61 66 74 65 72 20 74 68 65 20 |named after the | 000003d0 0a 61 73 74 72 6f 6e 6f 6d 65 72 73 20 77 68 6f |.astronomers who| 000003e0 20 66 69 72 73 74 20 64 69 73 63 6f 76 65 72 65 | first discovere| 000003f0 64 20 74 68 65 6d 2e 20 53 70 61 63 65 63 72 61 |d them. Spacecra| 00000400 66 74 20 64 61 74 61 20 74 61 6b 65 6e 20 0a 63 |ft data taken .c| 00000410 6c 6f 73 65 20 74 6f 20 74 68 65 20 72 69 6e 67 |lose to the ring| 00000420 73 20 72 65 76 65 61 6c 73 20 6d 61 6e 79 20 6d |s reveals many m| 00000430 6f 72 65 20 73 75 63 68 20 62 61 6e 64 73 20 77 |ore such bands w| 00000440 69 74 68 20 66 69 6e 65 72 20 0a 64 65 74 61 69 |ith finer .detai| 00000450 6c 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 64 61 74 61 20 61 6c 73 |l. This data als| 00000460 6f 20 69 6e 64 69 63 61 74 65 64 20 74 68 61 74 |o indicated that| 00000470 20 74 68 65 20 72 69 6e 67 20 74 68 69 63 6b 6e | the ring thickn| 00000480 65 73 73 20 77 61 73 20 6e 6f 20 0a 6d 6f 72 65 |ess was no .more| 00000490 20 74 68 61 6e 20 31 35 30 6d 2c 20 77 69 74 68 | than 150m, with| 000004a0 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 74 65 6d 70 65 72 61 74 75 | their temperatu| 000004b0 72 65 20 69 6e 20 73 75 6e 6c 69 67 68 74 20 61 |re in sunlight a| 000004c0 74 20 61 72 6f 75 6e 64 20 2d 31 38 30 20 0a 64 |t around -180 .d| 000004d0 65 67 72 65 65 73 20 43 20 61 6e 64 20 61 73 20 |egrees C and as | 000004e0 6c 6f 77 20 61 73 20 2d 32 30 30 20 64 65 67 72 |low as -200 degr| 000004f0 65 65 73 20 43 20 69 6e 20 73 68 61 64 6f 77 2e |ees C in shadow.| 00000500 20 41 20 66 65 77 20 6f 66 20 74 68 65 20 0a 73 | A few of the .s| 00000510 6d 61 6c 6c 65 72 20 6d 6f 6f 6e 73 20 6c 61 79 |maller moons lay| 00000520 20 77 69 74 68 69 6e 20 74 68 65 20 72 69 6e 67 | within the ring| 00000530 20 73 79 73 74 65 6d 20 61 6e 64 20 61 72 65 20 | system and are | 00000540 73 65 65 6e 20 74 6f 20 0a 69 6e 66 6c 75 65 6e |seen to .influen| 00000550 63 65 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 73 75 72 72 6f 75 6e |ce their surroun| 00000560 64 69 6e 67 73 2e 20 46 6f 72 20 65 78 61 6d 70 |dings. For examp| 00000570 6c 65 20 74 77 6f 20 6d 6f 6f 6e 73 2c 20 50 72 |le two moons, Pr| 00000580 6f 6d 65 74 68 65 75 73 20 0a 61 6e 64 20 50 61 |ometheus .and Pa| 00000590 6e 64 6f 72 61 2c 20 61 72 65 20 73 65 65 6e 20 |ndora, are seen | 000005a0 74 6f 20 22 73 68 65 70 68 65 72 64 22 20 74 68 |to "shepherd" th| 000005b0 65 20 70 61 72 74 69 63 6c 65 73 20 6f 66 20 61 |e particles of a| 000005c0 20 72 69 6e 67 20 0a 68 65 6c 64 20 62 65 74 77 | ring .held betw| 000005d0 65 65 6e 20 74 68 65 6d 2e 0a 0a 54 68 65 20 63 |een them...The c| 000005e0 6f 6d 70 6f 73 69 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 74 68 |omposition of th| 000005f0 65 20 70 6c 61 6e 65 74 20 69 73 20 76 65 72 79 |e planet is very| 00000600 20 73 69 6d 69 6c 61 72 20 74 6f 20 74 68 61 74 | similar to that| 00000610 20 6f 66 20 0a 4a 75 70 69 74 65 72 2c 20 77 69 | of .Jupiter, wi| 00000620 74 68 20 61 20 73 69 6c 69 63 61 74 65 20 63 6f |th a silicate co| 00000630 72 65 20 73 75 72 72 6f 75 6e 64 65 64 20 62 79 |re surrounded by| 00000640 20 6c 69 71 75 69 64 20 68 79 64 72 6f 67 65 6e | liquid hydrogen| 00000650 20 61 6e 64 20 0a 61 20 64 65 65 70 20 67 61 73 | and .a deep gas| 00000660 65 6f 75 73 20 68 79 64 72 6f 67 65 6e 20 61 74 |eous hydrogen at| 00000670 6d 6f 73 70 68 65 72 65 2e 20 54 68 69 73 20 61 |mosphere. This a| 00000680 74 6d 6f 73 70 68 65 72 65 20 69 73 20 63 6f 6f |tmosphere is coo| 00000690 6c 65 72 20 74 68 61 6e 20 0a 4a 75 70 69 74 65 |ler than .Jupite| 000006a0 72 73 20 61 6e 64 20 77 68 69 6c 65 20 64 69 73 |rs and while dis| 000006b0 70 6c 61 79 69 6e 67 20 73 69 6d 69 6c 61 72 20 |playing similar | 000006c0 62 61 6e 64 69 6e 67 2c 20 74 68 65 20 63 6f 6c |banding, the col| 000006d0 6f 75 72 69 6e 67 20 69 73 20 0a 6c 65 73 73 20 |ouring is .less | 000006e0 76 69 76 69 64 20 64 75 65 20 74 6f 20 61 20 68 |vivid due to a h| 000006f0 61 7a 65 20 6f 66 20 61 6d 6d 6f 6e 69 61 20 63 |aze of ammonia c| 00000700 72 79 73 74 61 6c 73 20 61 74 20 69 74 73 20 6f |rystals at its o| 00000710 75 74 65 72 20 0a 72 65 61 63 68 65 73 2e 20 57 |uter .reaches. W| 00000720 69 6e 64 20 73 70 65 65 64 73 20 6f 66 20 75 70 |ind speeds of up| 00000730 20 74 6f 20 31 2c 34 30 30 6b 70 68 20 68 61 76 | to 1,400kph hav| 00000740 65 20 62 65 65 6e 20 64 65 74 65 63 74 65 64 2c |e been detected,| 00000750 20 61 6e 64 20 0a 67 69 76 65 20 61 6e 20 69 6e | and .give an in| 00000760 64 69 63 61 74 69 6f 6e 20 6f 66 20 65 78 74 72 |dication of extr| 00000770 65 6d 65 20 6d 65 74 65 6f 72 6f 6c 6f 67 69 63 |eme meteorologic| 00000780 61 6c 20 61 63 74 69 76 69 74 79 2e 0a 0a 41 66 |al activity...Af| 00000790 74 65 72 20 61 20 62 72 69 65 66 20 66 6c 79 2d |ter a brief fly-| 000007a0 70 61 73 73 20 62 79 20 50 69 6f 6e 65 65 72 20 |pass by Pioneer | 000007b0 31 31 20 69 6e 20 31 39 37 39 2c 20 56 6f 79 61 |11 in 1979, Voya| 000007c0 67 65 72 73 20 31 20 61 6e 64 20 32 20 0a 73 65 |gers 1 and 2 .se| 000007d0 6e 74 20 62 61 63 6b 20 6d 75 63 68 20 69 6d 70 |nt back much imp| 000007e0 6f 72 74 61 6e 74 20 69 6e 66 6f 72 6d 61 74 69 |ortant informati| 000007f0 6f 6e 20 61 62 6f 75 74 20 74 68 65 20 70 6c 61 |on about the pla| 00000800 6e 65 74 2c 20 69 74 73 20 0a 73 61 74 65 6c 6c |net, its .satell| 00000810 69 74 65 73 20 61 6e 64 20 72 69 6e 67 73 20 64 |ites and rings d| 00000820 75 72 69 6e 67 20 74 68 65 69 72 20 65 6e 63 6f |uring their enco| 00000830 75 6e 74 65 72 73 20 69 6e 20 31 39 38 30 20 61 |unters in 1980 a| 00000840 6e 64 20 31 39 38 31 2e 0a 0a |nd 1981...| 0000084a
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