Saturn
The Ringed Planet
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and is best known for its spectacular ring system. It is the second-largest planet in our solar system and, like Jupiter, is a gas giant composed mainly of hydrogen and helium.
Key Facts About Saturn
- Diameter: 116,460 km (72,367 miles)
- Distance from Sun: 1.434 billion km (891.1 million miles)
- Day length: 10.7 hours
- Year length: 29.5 Earth years
- Known Moons: 146
- Rings: Extensive ring system
Saturn's Rings
Saturn's rings are made primarily of ice particles and rocky debris. They extend up to 282,000 km from the planet but are remarkably thin — only about 10 meters thick in most places. The rings are thought to be relatively young, perhaps only 100 million years old.
Lowest Density
Saturn has the lowest density of any planet in the solar system — so low that it would float in water if you could find a bathtub big enough. Its composition is mostly hydrogen and helium.