Saturn

Overview

Saturn, the sixth planet from the Sun, is a gas giant renowned for its breathtaking ring system. Spanning 120,700 km (75,000 miles) in diameter, it floats 1.4 billion km (886 million miles) from the Sun, cloaked in swirling clouds of hydrogen and helium.

Physical Properties

• Diameter: 120,536 km (74,898 miles)
• Mass: 5.68 × 10²⁶ kg (95 Earths)
• Composition: 96% hydrogen, 3% helium
• Rings: Ice, dust, and rock, extending 282,000 km

Orbit & Rotation

A majestic cycle:

• Orbit: 29.46 Earth years
• Rotation: 10.7 hours
• Tilt: 26.73°, creating ring shadows

Exploration

Human encounters:

• Pioneer 11 (1979): First flyby
• Voyager 1 & 2 (1980-1981): Ring details
• Cassini (2004-2017): Orbiting masterpiece