Saturn
The ringed jewel
Saturn is a gas giant best known for its bright, extensive ring system made of countless icy particles. Like Jupiter, it has no solid surface, and it hosts dozens of moons, including the intriguing Titan and Enceladus.
Key facts
- Diameter
- 116,460 km
- Radius
- 58,232 km
- Mass
- 5.683e+26 kg
- Gravity (Earth = 1)
- 0.916
- Density
- 0.687 g/cm³
- Distance from Sun
- 1,434,000,000 km
- Orbital period
- 10,747 Earth days
- Rotation period
- 10.70 hours
- Average temperature
- -140°C
- Known moons
- 146
Values are approximate and based on cited sources.
Atmosphere
- Hydrogen
- Helium
- Methane
Surface
No solid surface; upper atmospheric bands sit above deep hydrogen layers.
Internal structure
A rocky core surrounded by liquid metallic hydrogen and gaseous outer layers.
Moons
Titan
The only moon with a substantial atmosphere and stable liquid on its surface.
Enceladus
Cryovolcanic plumes carry material from a global subsurface ocean into space.
Mimas
Its giant crater gives it a strong visual resemblance to a well-known science-fiction space station.
Exploration missions
Cassini–Huygens
A landmark mission that studied Saturn, its rings, and its moons for 13 years.
View mission
Sources
- NASA Science — Saturn— last verified 2026-01-15