Saturn, the sixth planet from the Sun, is like a massive ball of gas primarily composed of hydrogen and helium. It is much bigger than Earth. To put it in perspective, if Earth were a nickel, Saturn would be as big as a volleyball.
Saturn moves in a unique way. It spins really fast, so its day is only about 10.7 hours long. And its year, the time it takes to go around the Sun once, lasts nearly 29 Earth years.
Saturn is most famous for its unique rings, unlike anything else in our solar system. These rings are believed to be fragments of comets, asteroids, or shattered moons that disintegrated before reaching the planet. However, Saturn’s attraction extends beyond its rings, its moons are equally captivating. A total of 83 moons surround Saturn, with 63 already confirmed. The remaining moons await confirmation and naming by the IAU. Among these, some are known by names like Titan, Rhea, and Iapetus.
Two moons, Titan and Rhea, really catch scientists’ attention. Titan has an atmosphere, similar to Earth, and even has rivers and lakes. But these are not filled with water, they are made of things like methane. Rhea’s surface is covered in craters, much like the moon we see from Earth at night.
While Saturn’s environment might not be conducive to life, some of its many moons tell a different story. Moons such as Enceladus and Titan, which have hidden oceans beneath their surfaces, might have the conditions needed to nurture life.
