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Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in our solar system. Adorned with a dazzling system of icy rings, Saturn is unique among the planets. Saturn is a massive ball made mostly of hydrogen and helium.
About 4 billion years ago, Saturn settled into its current position in the outer solar system, where it is the sixth planet from the Sun. Like Jupiter, Saturn is mostly made of hydrogen and helium, the same two main components that make up the Sun.
Saturn has 146 moons in its orbit, more than any other planet. The moons range in size from larger than the planet Mercury – the giant moon Titan – to as small as a sports arena. The small moon Enceladus has a global ocean under a thick, icy shell.
It became the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn, beginning a mission that yielded troves of new insights over more than a decade. The Saturnian system proved to be rich ground for exploration and discoveries, and Cassini's science findings changed the course of future planetary exploration.
USDZ File (3D Model) Sep 9, 2023. usdz (276.32 KB) NASA explores the unknown in air and space, innovates for the benefit of humanity, and inspires the world through discovery. A 3D model of Saturn, the ringed gas giant planet.
Search All NASA Missions. A to Z List of Missions. Upcoming Launches and Landings. Spaceships and Rockets. Communicating with Missions. Artemis. James Webb Space Telescope. Hubble Space Telescope. International Space Station.
Voyager at Saturn. The Voyager 1 and 2 Saturn encounters occurred nine months apart, in November 1980 and August 1981. Voyager 2 completed its encounter with Uranus in January 1986 and with Neptune in August 1989. Both are now leaving the solar system.
Saturn: Exploration. Four robotic spacecraft have visited Saturn. NASA's Pioneer 11 provided the first close look in September 1979. NASA's twin Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 spacecraft followed up with flybys nine months apart in 1980 and 1981.
Titan: Facts. Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is an icy world whose surface is completely obscured by a golden hazy atmosphere. Titan is the second largest moon in our solar system. Only Jupiter's moon Ganymede is larger, by just 2 percent. Titan is bigger than Earth's moon, and larger than even the planet Mercury.
Overview. The Sun's gravity holds the solar system together, keeping everything – from the biggest planets to the smallest particles of debris – in its orbit. The connection and interactions between the Sun and Earth drive the seasons, ocean currents, weather, climate, radiation belts and auroras.