Saturn Fact Sheet

[/caption] The following Saturn fact sheet is based on

NASA's excellent planetary fact sheets

. Saturn is the 6th planet from the Sun, and the second largest planet in the Solar System.

Mass: 568.46 x 10

kg
Volume: 82,713 x 10

Average radius: 58,232 km Average diameter: 116,464 km Mean density: 0.687 g/cm

Escape velocity: 35.5 km/s Surface gravity: 10.44 m/s

Natural satellites: 60 Rings? - Yes Semimajor axis: 1,433,530,000 km Orbit period: 10,759.22 days Perihelion: 1,352,550,000 km Aphelion: 1,514,500,000 km
Mean orbital velocity: 9.69 km/s Orbit inclination: 2.485° Orbit eccentricity: 0.0565 Sidereal rotation period: 10.656 hours
Length of day: 10.656 hours Axial tilt: 26.73° Discovery: Known since prehistoric times Minimum distance from Earth: 1,195,500,000 km Maximum distance from Earth: 1,658,500,000 km Maximum apparent diameter from Earth: 20.1 arc seconds Minimum apparent diameter from Earth: 14.5 arc seconds Maximum visual magnitude: 0.43

We've written many articles about Saturn for Universe Today. Here's an article about the

rotation of Saturn

, and here's an article about

the atmosphere of Saturn

If you'd like more info on Saturn, check out

Hubblesite's News Releases about Saturn

. And here's a link to the

homepage of NASA's Cassini spacecraft

, which is orbiting Saturn.

We've also recorded an entire episode of Astronomy Cast just about Saturn. Listen here,

Episode 59: Saturn

Fraser Cain