Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System. It is a gas giant primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, with an average radius about 9 times that of Earth. Despite its large size, Saturn has a very low average density—less than water—meaning it could float if placed in a large enough ocean. The planet has no solid surface, instead consisting mostly of swirling gases and liquids deeper down. It rotates rapidly, completing one rotation in about 10 hours and 34 minutes, which makes it the flattest planet due to the bulging at its equator. Saturn is most famous for its spectacular system of rings, composed mainly of ice particles with some rocky debris. These rings stretch out over 120,700 km but are very thin, about 20 meters thick. The planet also has at least 274 moons, more than any other planet, with Titan being the largest and notable for its dense atmosphere and methane lakes. Saturn orbits the Sun once every 29.4 Earth years and has wind speeds that can reach up to 1,800 km/h. Its magnetic field is weaker than Earth's but very large in scale due to the planet's size. Several spacecraft have visited Saturn, including Pioneer 11, Voyager 1 and 2, and the Cassini-Huygens mission, which greatly expanded our understanding of the planet and its moons. In summary, Saturn is a massive gas giant with extensive rings, numerous moons, fast rotation, low density, and intriguing atmospheric and magnetic properties.
