Saturn is known for its spectacular ring system, made of ice and rock. It's the least dense planet — it would float in water if you had a big enough bathtub.
Explore 146 moonsSaturn's atmosphere is similar in composition to Jupiter's, with about 96 percent hydrogen and 3 percent helium. Wind speeds near the equator can reach 1,800 km/h, making them among the fastest in the solar system. The planet exhibits banded cloud patterns similar to Jupiter's, though they appear more muted due to a high-altitude ammonia crystal haze. A persistent hexagonal cloud pattern at the north pole remains one of the most striking features observed.
Saturn's iconic ring system extends from about 7,000 km to 80,000 km above the equator but is remarkably thin, averaging only about 10 meters in thickness. The rings are composed of billions of particles of ice and rock ranging from microscopic grains to house-sized boulders. Saturn is the least dense planet in the solar system -- its density of 0.687 g/cm3 is less than that of water, meaning it would theoretically float.
Pioneer 11 made the first flyby of Saturn in 1979, followed by Voyager 1 and 2 in 1980 and 1981. The Cassini-Huygens mission (2004-2017) was one of the most successful planetary science missions ever conducted. Cassini orbited Saturn for 13 years, discovering geysers of water ice on Enceladus (suggesting a subsurface ocean), observing methane seas on Titan, and studying the ring system in exquisite detail. The Huygens probe made the first landing on a moon in the outer solar system when it touched down on Titan in 2005.
Diameter
120,536 km
Mass (Earth = 1)
95.16
Surface Gravity
10.44 m/s²
Distance from Sun
9.58 AU
Orbital Period
29.46 years
Rotation Period
10.7 hours
Avg Temperature
-140°C
Escape Velocity
35.5 km/s
9.45x larger than Earth
95.16x larger than Earth
1.06x larger than Earth
Saturn's density is lower than water -- it would theoretically float if placed in a large enough ocean.
Saturn's rings are mostly made of billions of chunks of ice and rock, ranging from tiny grains to house-sized boulders.
A hexagonal storm pattern has been observed at Saturn's north pole since the Voyager missions.
| Mission | Year | Agency | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pioneer 11 | 1979 | NASA | Complete |
| Voyager 1 & 2 | 1980-1981 | NASA | Complete |
| Cassini-Huygens | 2004-2017 | NASA/ESA | Complete |
Fun Fact
“Saturn's rings are mostly made of chunks of ice and rock, and they extend up to 282,000 km from the planet, yet are only about 10 meters thick.”