Saturn Size report

Saturn is one of the eight planets in the solar system, and its name comes from Saturn, the god of agriculture in Roman mythology. Saturn is known as the "jewel of the solar system" because it surrounds a bright and unique ring. Soon, the planet will reach its opposition point, the moment when humans see it at its brightest and largest in the sky from Earth.

Saturn is a gas giant composed mainly of hydrogen, with an inner core consisting of rock and ice and an outer periphery surrounded by several layers of metallic hydrogen and gas. Saturn has a prominent ring system composed primarily of icy particles and rocky debris and dust to a lesser extent.

Humans have never stopped exploring space. As of 2019, scientists have confirmed 82 moons of Saturn. Titan is the largest moon in the Saturn system and the second-largest moon in the solar system, even larger than Mercury. This article will tell you more facts about this unique giant planet.

Saturn Basics

Like Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune, Saturn is considered a giant planet. Due to its low density, high rotation speed, and fluid variability, Saturn's shape is an ellipsoid; the polar axis is relatively flat, and the equator is relatively prominent. Its equatorial diameter is 120,536 kilometers, and the poles are 108,728 kilometers in diameter.

Temperatures, pressures, and densities all rise steadily from the planet's interior up to the core. Although there is only a small amount of direct data, standard planetary models suggest that Saturn's interior is still thought to be similar to Jupiter, with a smaller core surrounded by hydrogen and helium.

Diameter, Radius, And Circumference

• Saturn is about 75 thousand miles (120,000 km) in diameter and is almost ten times the diameter of Earth. About 764 Earths could fit inside Saturn.
  
• With a radius of 58,232 kilometers (36,184 miles), Saturn is the second-largest planet in the solar system. To travel around Saturn's equator, you need to travel 365,882 kilometers (227,349 miles).
  

Density, Mass, and Distance

• The density of Saturn is 0.687 grams per cubic centimeter, making it the only planet in the solar system less dense than water.
• The mass of the ringed planet is 5.68 x 1026 kilograms, 95 times the mass of Earth.
• From an average distance of 886 million miles (1.4 billion kilometers), Saturn is 9.5 astronomical units away from the Sun.

Orbit and Rotation

Saturn has the second-shortest day in the solar system. One day on Saturn takes only 10.7 hours (the time it takes for Saturn to rotate or spin around once), and Saturn makes a complete orbit around the Sun (a year in Saturnian time) in about 29.4 Earth years (10,756 Earth days). Its axis tilted by 26.73 degrees concerning its orbit around the Sun, similar to Earth's 23.5-degree tilt. It means that, like Earth, Saturn experiences seasons.

Rings Of Saturn

Galileo Galilei was the first to see Saturn's rings in 1610, although the rings looked more like handles or arms from his telescope. As scientists developed better instruments, they continued to learn more about the structure and composition of the rings. The rings of Saturn are named alphabetically in the order they were discovered. The main rings are C, B, and A. Rings D, E, F, and G are fainter and more recently discovered.

Conclusion

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest planet in our solar system. Saturn is not the only planet with rings, but none are as spectacular or complex as Saturn's. Saturn also has dozens of moons. Over the centuries, the Saturn system has been a rich source of scientific discovery and still holds many mysteries.