(Formerly Saturn)
It is a ringed gas giant like Jupiter, with a brood of more than 30 moons, including cloud-shrouded Titan, the only satellite to have a dense atmosphere. Saturn lacks the terrible radiation belts of Jupiter, and its gravity well is not as deep. As a result, Saturn space has proven more attractive to exploitation and colonization.
Saturn is the sixth planet out from the sun and the second largest, its dimeters is nine times greater than that of Caspia. It is a hazy yellow world, banded with shades of yellow and ocher; thanks to its vast ring system, the giant planet is one of the most impressive sights in the solar system.
Saturn is a gas giant like Jupiter, but a little smaller and colder. It is primarily composed of hydrogen (96.7%), with a quantity of helium (3%), methane (0.2%), ammonia (0.02%), and water vapor, along with traces of acetylene, ethane and phosphine. The atmosphere’s coloration is less vivid than Jupiter’s, a result of its lower temperature, which prevents certain atmospheric chemical reactions from taking place.
Like the other giant, Saturn is divided into several layers.
Methane Haze: A misty atmosphere of methane, hydrogen and helium with negligible pressure. The methane haze extends for 50 miles above the cloud layer. Brilliant auroras flicker at this altitude, particularly over the polar regions of the planet.
Upper Clouds: A layer of ammonia ice clouds, where the pressure is 0.5 to 1 atmosphere and the temperature is about -245° to -290° F. The upper clouds are about 50 miles deep.
Middle Clouds: A layer of ammonium hydro-sulfide ice clouds extending another 50-60 miles. The pressure is 2-5 atmospheres and the temperature rises from -240° F to about -135° F.
Lower Clouds: A final layer of water ice clouds about 30 miles thick. Here pressures are 6-10 atmospheres, with the temperature warming to as high as -10° F.
Beneath the lower clouds is a gradually-thickening layer of hydrogen and helium that ultimately turns liquid, and then metallic, with a solid core of rock, much like Jupiter.
Weather on Saturn: The weather is also similar to Jupiter. Saturn’s winds are faster than those of Jupiter, with the equatorial jet stream reaching speeds of 800 mph.
Radiation Belts: Saturn’s radiation belts are about 1/20 the intensity of Jupiter’s, making them a fairly minor hazard to navigation; a spacecraft’s normal hull is protection enough.
Gravity:
Although its diameter is nine times greater than that of Earth, the gravity on the surface is only a fraction more, as a result of having a very slight density, and being made up of light materials almost to the complete exclusion of heavier minerals.
Unmanned probes explored the system in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.
In the year of the Age of Absence, the expansion landed on Titan, largest of Saturn's moon, the shores of a liquid-methane ocean beneath a bright orange photochemical smog. The ocean was a witch's brew of life-creating molecules but at a mind-numbing low of -178C. It was deemed perfect for a long-term terraforming operation.
The mineral wealth of several of its moons have begun to become exploited. Titan has proven to be a goldmine or ironmine to be more correct.
Daily, the yellow bulk of the Ringer Giant grows in the monitors like a baleful giant eye glaring at your hurtling ship from the blackness of space. The famous rings are not in evidence at this season, or perhaps the ship is approaching the Ringed World at a poor angle for getting a good view of them. Nor are any of the several moons to be seen, at least not yet.
You watch the giant planet grow bigger and bigger with each day.
At last the fateful moment is at hand. Saturn fills half of the forward view like a stupendous custard pie. The Ringed Giant's atmoshere is so dense and soupy, that only its very upper level of exosphere can be seen. Clouds made up of noxious unbreathable gases like methane and ammonia, and the atmosphere is unbelieveably frigid -- something like -178 degrees Celsius).