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Saturn
Orbit data - Object data - Atmosphere - Mythology - Satellites - Ring system - Links Go to the bottom of the page
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Photo of the planet Saturn
Saturn

Hide this area Orbit data
Mean distance from the star Sun 1.433.530.000 km
9,582 AU
Minimum distance from the star Sun (perihelion) 1.352.550.000 km
Maximum distance from the star Sun (aphelion) 1.514.500.000 km
Orbital period around the star Sun (sideric) 29,4566 y
Orbital period around the star Sun (synodic) 378,09 d
Mean orbital velocity 9,69 km/s
Orbital inclination 2,4845 °
Eccentricity of the orbit around the star Sun 0,0565
Hide this area Object data
Mass 5,6846 × 1026 kg
Equatorial radius 60.268 km
Oblateness 0,09796
Mean density 0,6873 g/cm³
Escape velocity 35,478 km/s
Surface force of gravity 8,96 m/s²
Tilt of axis 26,73 °
Rotational period 10,656 h
Equatorial rotational velocity 37.004,9 km/h
Mean surface temperature 134 K
Minimum surface temperature 84 K
Albedo 0,47
Apparent magnitude + 0,7 mvis
Hide this area Atmosphere
96,3 %   Hydrogen (H2)
3,25 %   Helium (He)
0,45 %   Methane (CH4)
0,01 %   Ammonia (NH3)
  Ethane (C2H6)
Hide this area Mythology

According to greek mythology, Cronus is the son of Uranus and Gaia, the youngest of the twelve Titans. His wife was also one of the Titans, since he married his sister Rhea. The Romans compared Cronus with their god Saturn, who was to the Romans a corn god.

It is written that Uranus, who in one version, hid his children away in the bowels of the earth as he was fearful of their great strength and power. Gaia found her offspring uncomfortable and also painful and when she found the discomfort too much to bear she hatched a plan, which was to end the passions of Uranus, so no more offspring could be produced and that would be the ending of her hurt.

 Symbol of mythology for Saturn
Hide this area Satellites
No.  Name Distance Eccentricity Radius Mass
1 I  Mimas Mimas 185520 185.520 km 0.0202 0,0202 209 209 × 196 × 191 km 19.375 3,75 × 1019 kg
2 II  Enceladus Enceladus 238020 238.020 km 0.0045 0,0045 256 256 × 247 × 245 km 19.65 6,50 × 1019 kg
3 III  Tethys Tethys 294660 294.660 km 0.0 0,0 530 530 km 20.627 6,27 × 1020 kg
4 IV  Dione Dione 377400 377.400 km 0.0022 0,0022 560 560 km 21.11 1,10 × 1021 kg
5 V  Rhea Rhea 527040 527.040 km 0.0010 0,0010 764 764 km 21.231 2,31 × 1021 kg
6 VI  Titan Titan 1221830 1.221.830 km 0.0292 0,0292 2575 2575 km 23.13455 1,3455 × 1023 kg
7 VII  Hyperion Hyperion 1481100 1.481.100 km 0.1042 0,1042 185 185 × 140 × 113 km 19.159 1,59 × 1019 kg
8 VIII  Iapetus Iapetus 3561300 3.561.300 km 0.0283 0,0283 718 718 km 21.159 1,59 × 1021 kg
9 IX  Phoebe Phoebe 12952000 12.952.000 km 0.1633 0,1633 110 110 km 18.72 7,2 × 1018 kg
10 X  Janus Janus 151472 151.472 km 0.007 0,007 97 97 × 95 × 77 km 18.192 1,92 × 1018 kg
11 XI  Epimetheus Epimetheus 151422 151.422 km 0.009 0,009 69 69 × 55 × 55 km 17.54 5,4 × 1017 kg
12 XII  Helene Helene 377400 377.400 km 0.005 0,005 18 18 × 16 × 15 km 16.25 2,5 × 1016 kg
13 XIII  Telesto Telesto 294660 294.660 km 0.0 0,0 15 15 × 12,5 × 7,5 km 15.72 7,2 × 1015 kg
14 XIV  Calypso Calypso 294660 294.660 km 0.0 0,0 15 15 × 8 × 8 km 15.36 3,6 × 1015 kg
15 XV  Atlas Atlas 137670 137.670 km 0.0 0,0 18.5 18,5 × 17,2 × 13,5 km 16.11 1,1 × 1016 kg
16 XVI  Prometheus Prometheus 139353 139.353 km 0.0024 0,0024 74 74 × 50 × 34 km 17.33 3,3 × 1017 kg
17 XVII  Pandora Pandora 141700 141.700 km 0.0042 0,0042 55 55 × 44 × 31 km 17.19 1,9 × 1017 kg
18 XVIII  Pan Pan 133583 133.583 km 0.0 0,0 10 10 km 15.27 2,7 × 1015 kg
19 XIX  Ymir Ymir 23096000 23.096.000 km 0.470 0,470 8 8 km 15.49 4,9 × 1015 kg
20 XX  Paaliaq Paaliaq 15199000 15.199.000 km 0.364 0,364 9.5 9,5 km 15.82 8,2 × 1015 kg
21 XXI  Tarvos Tarvos 18247000 18.247.000 km 0.536 0,536 6.5 6,5 km 15.27 2,7 × 1015 kg
22 XXII  Ijiraq Ijiraq 11440000 11.440.000 km 0.322 0,322 5 5 km 15.12 1,2 × 1015 kg
23 XXIII  Suttungr Suttungr 19463000 19.463.000 km 0.114 0,114 2.8 2,8 km 14.21 2,1 × 1014 kg
24 XXIV  Kiviuq Kiviuq 11365000 11.365.000 km 0.334 0,334 7 7 km 15.33 3,3 × 1015 kg
25 XXV  Mundilfari Mundilfari 18709000 18.709.000 km 0.208 0,208 2.8 2,8 km 14.21 2,1 × 1014 kg
26 XXVI  Albiorix Albiorix 16404000 16.404.000 km 0.478 0,478 13 13 km 16.21 2,1 × 1016 kg
27 XXVII  Skathi Skathi 15647000 15.647.000 km 0.270 0,270 3.2 3,2 km 14.31 3,1 × 1014 kg
28 XXVIII  Erriapo Erriapo 17616000 17.616.000 km 0.474 0,474 4.3 4,3 km 14.76 7,6 × 1014 kg
29 XXIX  Siarnaq Siarnaq 18160000 18.160.000 km 0.295 0,295 16 16 km 16.39 3,9 × 1016 kg
30 XXX  Thrymr Thrymr 20382000 20.382.000 km 0.470 0,470 2.8 2,8 km 14.21 2,1 × 1014 kg
31 XXXI  Narvi Narvi 19007000 19.007.000 km 0.431 0,431 3.3 3,3 km 15.49 4,9 × 1015 kg
32 XXXII  Methone Methone 194000 194.000 km 0.0 0,0 1.5 1,5 km 13.165 1,65 × 1013 kg
33 XXXIII  Pallene Pallene 211000 211.000 km 0.0 0,0 2 2 km 13.392 3,92 × 1013 kg
34 XXXIV  Polydeuces Polydeuces 377400 377.400 km 0.0 0,0 4 4 km
35 XXXV  Daphnis Daphnis 136500 136.500 km 0.0 0,0 3.5 3,5 km
Hide this area Ring system
Name Distance Width Thickness Mass Albedo
D D 66000 66.000 km 7150 7.150 km
C C 74500 74.500 km 17500 17.500 km 21.11 1,1 × 1021 kg 0.30 0,30
Maxwell Gap Maxwell Gap 87500 87.500 km 270 270 km
B B 92000 92.000 km 25500 25.500 km 1 < 1 km 22.28 2,8 × 1022 kg 0.60 0,60
Cassini Division Cassini Division 117500 117.500 km 4700 4.700 km 20.57 5,7 × 1020 kg 0.40 0,40
A A 122200 122.200 km 14600 14.600 km 1 < 1 km 21.62 6,2 × 1021 kg 0.60 0,60
Encke Gap Encke Gap 133570 133.570 km 325 325 km
Keeler Gap Keeler Gap 136530 136.530 km 35 35 km
F F 140210 140.210 km 30500 30 - 500 km 0.60 0,60
G G 164000 164.000 km 8000 8.000 km 1000 < 1.000 km 17.1 1,0 × 1017 kg
E E 180000 180.000 km 300000 300.000 km 1000 1.000 km
Hide this area Links
File icon Gustav Holst: The Planets - Saturn: The Bringer of Old Age (57 kB)
 
File icon NASA Spacelink - Solar System Lithograph Set - Our Solar System
Lithograph number LG-2001-08-02-HQ (~ 3400 kB)
File icon NASA (Voyager 1) - Saturn's Moons
© Welcome to the Planets - 700 × 900 (36 kB)
File icon NASA/JPL (Voyager 1) - Saturn with Tethys and Dione
Link to the page "Views of the Solar System"
File icon NASA (Voyager 1) - Last View of Saturn
© Calvin J. Hamilton ("Views of the Solar System")
File icon NASA (Voyager 2) - Saturn without a Ring
© A. Tayfun Oner ("Views of the Solar System")
File icon NASA (Voyager 2) - The Saturn System
© Calvin J. Hamilton ("Views of the Solar System")
File icon Welcome to the Planets
Online version of the "Planetary Data System Educational CD-ROM"
File icon A Multimedia Tour of the Solar System - The Nine Planets
© William A. Arnett
© 2018 by Bernd Onasch - Imprint Go to the top of the page
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