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Hydrogen
Hydrogen, the simplest of elements with an atomic weight of 1, makes up about 96 percent of the planet Saturn. Although it rarely occurs naturally on Earth, hydrogen is one of the most common elements; hydrogen makes up more than 75 percent of the universe's chemical mass. Among the known planets, Saturn has the highest percentage of hydrogen, with Jupiter second at 90 percent.
Helium
The remaining 4 percent of Saturn is made up mostly of helium (at 3 percent) and other trace elements, including the primordial elements such as nitrogen and carbon and others such as sulfur and iron. While much of the outer layer of Saturn is made up of helium, it is believed that the majority of trace elements become more abundant deeper into the planet where these heavier, metallic elements sank during the planet's creation.
Saturn's Layer
Like other planets, Saturn has distinct layers. However, unlike other planets, these layers are made up almost entirely of hydrogen. Underneath the visible cloud layer surrounding the planet, which includes gases such as ammonia crystals and hydrogen sulfide, the outer layer of the planet is composed of helium followed and liquid hydrogen. Deeper in the planet, the hydrogen solidifies. The heavier trace elements of Saturn are believed to be located deep within the interior of the planet, with rocky and metallic elements at its core.
Rings and Moons
The planet's rings are composed primarily of bits of ice, ranging from as small as a micron (one millionth of a millimeter) to as large as several meters, and chucks of Saturn's moons. The several moons and moonlets, of which 60 have been identified, offer plenty of debris to form these rings. The exact elements of Saturn's rings are not yet known.
Many astronomers have taken special interest in Saturn's largest moon, Titan. As with the few other of Saturn's moons observed, Titan is made primarily of ice and rocky materials. Most notable has been presence of "lakes" composed of hydrocarbons such as ethane and methane.