Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is a gas giant planet, and rotates in about 11 hours. It is surrounded by a majestic ring system, composed of ice and dust particles, and shepherded by small moons.
Credit: (NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute)
The largest Saturnian moon, Titan, is the second largest in the Solar System. Although rare, spectacular storms can erupt on Saturn, and like Jupiter, winds blow nearly constantly at hundreds of miles per hour.
Moons
This image is a composite of several images taken during two separate Titan flybys on Oct. 9 (T19) and Oct. 25 (T20).
Credit: (NASA/JPL/University of Arizona)
In this view captured by NASA's Cassini spacecraft on its closest-ever flyby of Saturn's moon
Mimas, large Herschel Crater dominates Mimas, making the moon look like the Death Star in the movie "Star Wars."
Credit: (NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute)
Fun Facts
- 62 moons and counting
- Titan's surface has lakes, sand dunes and cryovolcanoes
- Enceladus has active water ice geysers near its south pole, forming the nebulous E-ring and coating nearby moons in fresh ice
- Saturn has strong seasons, and possibly seasonal polar features, such as a hot cyclonic vortex, and hexagonal wind jet features.
Missions
Pioneer 11: 1979 flyby
Voyager 1: 1980 flyby
Voyager 2: 1981 flyby
Cassini: 2004 to 2017 orbiter