Saturn (Planet)
Contents
Saturn as seen from Cassini
Credit: NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute
Overview
Saturn is the second largest of the gas-giants and telescopically the most beautiful of the planets. This is because Saturn has a ring system comprising of trillions of moonlets made of water ice and can be easily seen with quite a modest telescope. Binoculars will not show the rings but rather show Saturn as a bright yellow oblate blob, however a telescope will reveal the Cassini division in the rings and possibly some faint cloud structure.
Vital Statistics
Mean distance from The Sun 9.55 a.u.
Sidereal Period 29.42 years
Rotation Period 10.66 hours
Mass 95.16 Earth
Diameter 60268 km
Astronomical Symbol
The Astronomical symbol for the planet Saturn is represented by the symbol '♄'
