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Saturn from Cassini Orbiter on 2nd January 2010, courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

The ringed planet

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and one of the most spectacular worlds in the Solar System. It is a giant planet surrounded by thousands of dazzling rings made from ice, dust and rocky fragments.

Although Saturn is best known for its rings, there is much more to discover. It is the second largest planet, spins incredibly quickly, has powerful storms, and is orbited by a huge family of moons, including Titan, one of the most fascinating moons in the Solar System.

Saturn quick facts

Position

Sixth planet from the Sun

Planet type

Gas giant

Average distance

1,433,530,000 km

890,753,970 miles

Diameter

120,536 km

74,898 miles

Day length

10 hours, 39 mins

Year length

29 years, 168 days

Temperature

-138 °C
-218 °F

Moons

146

Saturn key information

Named after a Roman god

Saturn is named after the Roman god of agriculture and wealth. In Greek mythology, his equivalent is Cronus.

The least dense planet

Saturn is less dense than water. If you could find a bath big enough, Saturn would float. A very big bath, admittedly.

Second largest planet

Only Jupiter is larger. Saturn is wide enough to fit more than nine Earths side by side across its equator.

Famous for its rings

Saturn has the most spectacular ring system in the Solar System, made mostly from ice and rocky particles.

Visited by spacecraft

Pioneer 11 was the first spacecraft to visit Saturn, followed by Voyager 1, Voyager 2 and the Cassini-Huygens mission.

Titan is extraordinary

Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, has a thick atmosphere and lakes and seas of liquid methane and ethane on its surface.

Saturn in context

Where is Saturn?

Diagram showing Saturn's orbit around the Sun

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun. It travels around the Sun beyond Jupiter, taking more than 29 Earth years to complete one orbit.

How big is Saturn?

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Saturn is the second largest planet in the Solar System. It is much larger than Earth, but slightly smaller than Jupiter.

Explore Saturn

Find out more about Saturn by exploring its rings, moons, missions and most fascinating features.

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