Saturn
Gas giant
The ringed planet, a pale gold gas giant with the largest and brightest ring system in the Solar System.
Key facts
- Type
- Gas giant
- Diameter
- 120,536 km
- Average distance from the Sun
- 1,432 million km
- One orbit
- About 29.4 Earth years
- One day
- About 10.7 hours
- Known moons
- 274 (NASA)
About the Saturn
How to recognise it
Saturn is pale gold with soft bands of cloud, surrounded by wide, bright rings. The rings are made of countless pieces of ice and rock. Our image was taken by the Cassini spacecraft, which orbited Saturn for 13 years.
What it is like
Like Jupiter, Saturn is made mostly of hydrogen and helium. It is the second-largest planet and has more known moons than any other planet, including Titan, which has a thick atmosphere.
Sources
Facts checked: 29 October 2026
