Plus you can learn more about what’s in our Solar System with our Top 10 Facts on the Sun and the Moon; the planets Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune and the dwarf planet Pluto.
Welcome to the fascinating world of Saturn! This gas giant is the sixth planet from the sun and the second-largest in the solar system. Its iconic rings are one of the most recognisable features in the night sky.
Weβll explore 10 fascinating facts about Saturn that will leave you in awe. From its size and composition to its strange moons and storms, Saturn is truly an amazing and mysterious planet. Letβs get started!
1. Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun.
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun in our Solar system.
2. You can’t stand on Saturn.
Saturn is a Gas Giant. This means unlike Earth it doesn’t have a solid surface. In fact it’s surface is mainly made of Helium, the same gas you find in birthday balloons.
3. Saturn has rings.
The rings on Saturn are huge. The main rings are the same distance as from the Earth to the moon.
4. Saturn’s rings aren’t solid.
The amazing rings around Saturn are not solid. They are made up of bits of ice, dust and rock. Some of these pieces are smaller than a grain of sand while others are taller than skyscrapers!
5. It’s very windy on Saturn.
Winds around the equator of Saturn can be 1,800 kilometres per hour. On Earth the fastest ever recorded wind was 407 kilometres per hour.
Check out our video on some of the other awesome things going on in our Solar System.
6. You can see Saturn through a telescope.
Saturn is the most distant planet that can be seen with the naked eye however it is best to look at it through binoculars or a telescope.
Because it can be seen in the sky, Saturn was known to the ancient civilisations , including the Babylonians.
7. Saturn has more moons than any other planet in the Solar System.
Saturn has 82 confirmed moons. There are probably more that we haven’t discovered yet.
How amazing would it be to watch the night sky from there?!
8. Saturn has a moon bigger than Mercury.
The largest moon of Saturn is named Titan – it’s so big it’s actually bigger than Mercury.
You can find out about Mercury with our Top 10 Facts.
9. Saturn is named after a Roman God.
It is named for the Roman god Saturnus, and was known to the Greeks as Cronus.
10. A day on Saturn is only 10.7 hours and a year is 29 Earth years.
A day on Saturn is a lot faster than a day on Earth. It takes only 10.7 hours for Saturn to spin once, this is how a day is measured.
Saturn circles the Sun once every 29 Earth years β that means a a year on Saturn is 29 Earth years.
Let’s keep learning with our Top 10 Facts about Space and Top 10 Facts about the Solar System. Plus you can learn more about what’s in our Solar System with our Top 10 Facts on the Sun and the Moon; the planets Earth, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune and the dwarf planet Pluto.
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