Titan(moon of Saturn) and Earth Comparison and References

Titan

Earth

Diameter (km)

5,150 (with it's clouds)

12,756

Radius (km)

2,575

6,378

Mass (kg)

1.36 x 1023

5.972 x 1024

Mean Density (gm/cm3)

1.881

 

5.518

 

Rotation Period days:hours:minutes:seconds

15:23:15:31.5

 

00:23:56:45

 

Sideral (Rotation) Period (days)

15.945

365

Mean Distance Orbiting Sun

1,427,163,966 km

149,597,900 km

Astronomical Units (AU) from Sun
(1 AU = 149,597,900 km)

~9.538

 

1.0

 

Atmospheric Surface Pressure

1.5 bars

1.0 bars

Albedo

0.21

0.39

Escape Velocity

2.64 km/sec

11.18 km/sec

Surface Temperature 

85-95  Kelvin	
-168   Centigrade
-292   Farenheight	

288-290  Kelvin	
17       Centigrade
62.6     Farenheight

 


Major Constituents
measured in percentage ( % ) 
N2 (Nitrogen)  82-99 %
CH4 (Methane)  1-6 
22Ne (Neon)   Primordial  ???  % 
*40Ar (Argon) Radiogenic  ???  % 
*36Ar (Argon) Primordial    < 1-6 % 
*isotope of Argon deduced indirectly

click here for more on Argon on page 206 | 40 Argon | Argon (physicsforme)
There is a theoretical expectation that argon is present in the atmosphere, but there has
been no direct detection of this atom. However, because it is difficult to detect, argon might
still be present in significant amounts (i.e. mole fractions of <10%).

  

N2  (Nitrogen) 76%
O2 (Oxygen)  20.9 %  
Ar (Argon)  .934%   
CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) .031 %
H2O (Water)  1.0 %

Minor Constituents
measured in ppm (parts per million) 
H2 (Hydrogen)  2,000ppm 
CO (Carbon Monoxide)    50 ppm 
CO2 (Carbon Dioxide)   0.01 ppm 

Hydrocarbons
C2H2  (Acetylene)   4 ppm  
C2H4 (Ethylene)   1   ppm 
C2H6 (Ethane)    20 ppm 
C4H2  (Diacetylene)   0.02 ppm 
C3H4 (Methylacetlyene)  0.03 ppm 
C3H6 (Propene)   ???? ppm 
C6H6 (Benzene)   ???? ppm 
C3H8 (Propane)    1.0 ppm 

Nitriles
HCN (Hydrogen Cyanide)   1.0 ppm 
HC3N (Cyanoacetylene)  0.003 ppm 
C2N2 (Cyanogen)  0.02 ppm 
C4N2  (Dicyanoacetylene)   condensed  


H20 ( Water )   4 ppb (not ppm)

  

H2  (Hydrogen)  0.5 ppm 
CO (Carbon Monoxide)    
Ne (Neon)  18.18 ppm 
CH4 (Methane)  1.5 ppm 
O3 (Ozone)
N2O (Nitrous Oxide)
H2O ( Water Vapor) 10-50,000 ppm 
He (Helium) 5.24 ppm 
Xe (Xenon)
Kr (Krypton) 1.14 ppm 
NO2  (Nitrogen Dioxide)
 

Other interesting characteristics:

  • Titan’s atmosphere was first detected spectroscopically in 1944 by the Dutch American astronomer Gerard P. Kuiper, who found evidence of the absorption of sunlight by methane.
  • One Titan year is equal to 30 Earth Years
  • Titan has seasons too The Titanian Seasons Turn, Turn, Turn (JPL)
  • Both Titan and Earth have a greenhouse effect
  • Titan also has continents and oceans as determined through radar, confirmed from Cassini & Huygen's probe
  • Also liquid hydrocarbon lakes, cryovolcanoes
  • Methane exists in its triple point much like our water in solid, liquid and gas states image
  • Second largest moon in our Solar System (Jupiter's Ganymede is the largest)

 

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