Planet
Saturn
Any small telescope shows the rings — the view people never forget.
Where to look
Like every planet, Saturn moves against the stars along the ecliptic, the Sun’s path through the constellations of the zodiac, so where to look changes over the weeks and months. When it is up tonight, how high it climbs, its phase and the year ahead are worked out in your browser for your place.
Right now
What you will see
- EyesA steady pale yellow point.
- Binoculars (10×50)Slightly oval: the rings are almost too small to see.
- Small telescope (4–6 inch)The rings around a pale disc, with Titan close by.
Planets look best high up and in steady air; low down they shimmer and blur.
The year ahead
About
A gas giant with the brightest rings: about 280,000 km across, yet usually no more than ten meters or so thick. Saturn’s average density is lower than that of water.
Facts
| Radius | 58,232 km |
|---|---|
| Mass | 95 Earth masses |
| Orbital period | 29.46 years |
| Day | 10 h 33 min |
| Axial tilt | 26.7° |
| Moons | more than 270 |
From the StarsMenu Solar System model.