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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

59,742 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)

~9.54

 

1.0

 

Atmospheric Surface Pressure

1.5 bars

1.0 bars

Albedo

0.21

0.39

Escape Velocity

2.47 km/sec

11.2 km/sec

Surface Temperature 

85-95  Kelvin	
-168   Centigrade
-292   Farenheight	

288-290  Kelvin	
17       Centigrade
62.6     Farenheight

 

Major Constituents 

N2 (Nitrogen)  82-99 %
CH4 (Methane)  1-6 %
*Ar36 (Argon)  0-12 % 
 
*isotope of Argon 
deduced indirectly

  

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

Minor Constituents 

H2 (Hydrogen)
CO (Carbon Monoxide)
CO2 (Carbon Dioxide)
C2N2 (Cyanogen)
C2H2  (Acetylene)
C2H4 (Ethylene)
C4H2  (Diacetylene)
C3H4 (Methylacetlyene)
C3H8 (Propane)
HCN (Hydrogen Cyanide)
HC3N (Cyanoacetylene) 
 
 

  

H2  (Hydrogen)
CO (Carbon Monoxide)
Ne (Neon)
O3 (Ozone)
N2O (Nitrous Oxide)
He (Helium)
Xe (Xenon)
Kr (Krypton)
NO2  (Nitrogen Dioxide)
 

Other interesting characteristics:

  • One Titan year is equal to 30 Earth Years
  • Both Titan and Earth have a greenhouse effect
  • It is believed that Titan also has continents and oceans as determined through radar
  • Second largest moon in our Solar System (Jupiter's Ganymede is the largest)

 

Wikipedia: Titan
Titan Exobiology
European Space Agency page on Cassini mission
NASA JPL page on Cassini









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