8 Interesting facts about Saturn you probably didn’t know

Saturn is more than a planet with a ring.

The Jewel of the Solar System, Saturn is a planet that has no close resemblance to our Planet Earth. While humans have been staring at the ringed planet for a long time, there are still some unknown secrets.

Here are some interesting facts about Saturn that will make you look at the planet from a new perspective.

1. The rings were thought to be moons

Galileo, an astronomer, looked through the telescope in 1610 and thought that Saturn had two large moons attached to its side like ears.

2. Winds are fast on Saturn

The winds around the equator of Saturn go up to 1,800 kilometres per hour. In comparison, on Earth, the winds go up to a maximum of 400 kilometres per hour.

3. The planet has short days and long years

Saturn spins very fast on its axis causing a day to last 10 hours and 14 minutes. However, it revolves around the sun very slowly making a year on the ringed planet last more than 29 Earth years.

4. You can spot Saturn with naked eyes

Saturn is one of the five planets that can be seen with unaided eyes. But to see its rings and the entire planet, you will need a telescope. That is no reason to impress your friends and family by pointing out the bright star in the sky and telling them it is Saturn.

5. You can’t stand on Saturn

Saturn is mostly made of gas. It has a lot of helium, the same kind you put in balloons. Therefore, it is not possible to stand on the planet.

6. Saturn has the second-largest moon in the solar system

Saturn’s moon Titan is the second-largest moon in the solar system after Jupiter’s moon Ganymede. It is possible that 5 to 6 billion years later, Titan will become warm enough for life to be generated in the same manner to Earth.

7. Saturn has 62 moons

Saturn has 62 discovered moons. While some are big like Titan, others are mostly very tiny who have no official names.

8. Four spacecraft have visited Saturn

From Earth, only four spacecraft have been sent to visit Saturn. The first was Pioneer 11 in 1979. The 2004 spacecraft actually orbited around Saturn and captured photos of the planet, its rings and moons.

Amaze your friends and family with unique knowledge about Saturn.