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About Saturn's Surface

Saturn with a diameter 10 times that of the Earth, is the second-largest planet in the solar system. Orbiting the sun at a maximum distance of 941,070,000 miles, it receives much less warmth from the sun than Earth.

Composition
- The surface of Saturn is not solid, but rather several layers of gases and liquid metallic compounds. Saturn's atmosphere is composed of hydrogen and helium, below which is a layer of these two elements in a viscous form.
Temperature
- At the top of the clouds on the surface of Saturn, the temperature averages -285 degrees F. Beneath the surface, the temperature is much higher, which is believed to be a result of the energy generated as helium sinks through the liquid helium in the planet's interior, according to the NASA Worldbook.
Winds
- The planet's internal heat is thought to drive large storm cells on the planet's surface. Winds in Saturn's atmosphere have been measured at 1,800 kilometers per hour.

Astronomy