Also referred to as 'The Jewel of the Solar System', Saturn is the sixth planet in the solar system, according to its distance from the sun. It is only slightly smaller than Jupiter in size. Saturn is the only planet which has a density less than that of water. Earlier, it was thought to be the only planet with rings, but it was later found that Jupiter and Uranus also have rings. Even after this discovery, Saturn manages to retain the tag of being the most beautiful of the eight main planets in our solar system. Explore some interesting and fun facts about Saturn.
Interesting &Fun Facts About Saturn
- Saturn is the second largest planet in the solar system.
- Saturn is at the sixth position in the solar system, according to its distance from the Sun.
- Due to fast rotation on its axis, Saturn is flattened at the poles.
- Galileo was the first person to discover Saturn. He was confused by its strange appearance in his telescope.
- It was in 1659 that Christiaan Huygens rightly inferred the geometry of the rings.
- Just like Jupiter, Saturn is a gas planet. Its large distance from the sun helps it retain its original primitive gases.
- The atmosphere on Saturn is primarily composed of hydrogen, with small amounts of helium and methane.
- Saturn is the only planet in our solar system that is less dense that water.
- Saturn's distance from the sun is two times that of Jupiter.
- A Saturn year lasts for more than 29 Earth years, but a Saturn day only lasts 10 hours and 14 minutes.
- Saturn is a faintly smaller version of Jupiter, with alike, but less distinctive, surface patterns.
- Saturn’s rings are believed to be the particles of an old moon destroyed in a collision about 50 million years ago.
- It is assumed that Saturn’s rings will disappear one day. They will either dissolve into space or get sucked into the planet by its pull of gravity.
- Saturn is yellow in color and is believed to be the third brightest planet in night sky.
- Saturn has the most number of moons in our solar system.
- Saturn was the God of agriculture in Roman mythology. Saturn is also the father of Jupiter, the king of the Roman Gods.
- Saturn's rings orbit the planet at different tilts. Sometimes, they can appear like 'ears' sticking out of the planet. At other times, they are flat when seen from Earth and are hardly visible. This shows how thin they can be.
- Saturn is the basis of the English word “Saturday”.
