Gas Giant
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest, yet least dense, in the Solar System. Adorned with a dazzling, complex system of icy rings, it is a gas giant with at least 150 moons and moonlets.
Equatorial Diameter
120,536 km
Surface Temperature
-125°C
Mass
5.683 × 10^26 kg
Surface Gravity
10.4 m/s²
Rotation Period
10h 39m
Orbital Period
29 Years
Moons
150+
Planetary Structure & Atmosphere
Saturn is a gas giant adorned with a complex, luminous ring system composed of billions of ice fragments and rock dust. Its interior consists of a dense core of nickel-iron and rock, wrapped by metallic liquid hydrogen and a thick gaseous outer atmosphere.
Atmospheric Composition
Cosmic Weight & Age Matrix
70 kg Human Weight
74.5 kg
1.065x Earth Gravity
20 Earth Years Equivalent
0.68 Years
Saturn Orbital Years (29.4 Yrs)
Escape Velocity
35.5 km/s
3.17x Earth Escape Velocity
Scientific Discoveries
- Saturn is the only planet in the Solar System that is less dense than water.
- Its rings, larger and more visible than any other, are composed of water ice crystals and rock ranging in size from dust specks to mountains.
- Some of Saturn's moons act as "shepherd moons" to confine the rings and prevent them from spreading out.
- The planet radiates 2.5 times more heat than it receives from the Sun, possibly due to frictional heat created by helium "raining out" into its interior.
- Saturn appears to the naked eye as a bright, yellowish point of light, and magnifying it at least 30x resolves its famous rings.
- Its largest moon, Titan, is the only moon in the solar system with a thick atmosphere and liquid rivers, lakes, and seas (of methane).