Saturn's moons
Titan, discovered in 1655, was the first of Planet Saturn's moons to be discovered.[1][2] Since then over 200 moons have been found, about half of them formed with Planet Saturn, while the other half were captured asteroids.
| name | discovered | discoverer | mass in quadrillion tons |
diameter | period | distance | notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titan | 1655 | Christiaan Huygens | 13,455,000,000 | 2,575 kilometres (1,600 mi) | 15.9 days | 1,221,830 kilometres (759,210 mi) |
|
| Rhea | 1671 | Giovanni Cassini | 231,000,000 | 764 kilometres (475 mi) | 4.52 days | 527,040 kilometres (327,490 mi) |
|
| Iapetus | 1671 | Giovanni Cassini | 160,000,000 | 718 kilometres (446 mi) | 79.33 days | 3,561,300 kilometres (2,212,900 mi) | |
| Tethys | 1684 | Giovanni Cassini | 62,700,000 | 530 kilometres (330 mi) | 1.89 days | 294,660 kilometres (183,090 mi) | |
| Telesto | 1980 | B. Smith H. Reitsema S. Larson J. Fountain |
1.89 days | 294,660 kilometres (183,090 mi) |
| ||
| Calypso | 1980 | B. Smith H. Reitsema S. Larson J. Fountain |
1.89 days | 294,660 kilometres (183,090 mi) |
| ||
| Dione | 1684 | Giovanni Cassini | 110,000,000 | 560 kilometres (350 mi) | 2.74 days | 377,400 kilometres (234,500 mi) | |
| Helene | 1980 | P. Laques J. Lecacheus |
560 kilometres (350 mi) | 2.74 days | 377,400 kilometres (234,500 mi) |
| |
| Mimas | 1789 | William Herschel | 3,750,000 | 0.942 days | 185,520 kilometres (115,280 mi) | ||
| Enceladus | 1789 | William Herschel | 7,000,000 | ~ 250 kilometres (160 mi) | 1.37 days | 238,020 kilometres (147,900 mi) | |
| Hyperion | 1848 | W.C Bond G.P. Bond William Lassell |
140 kilometres (87 mi) | 21.27 days | 1,481,100 kilometres (920,300 mi) |
| |
| Phoebe | 1899 | W.H. Pickering | 400,000 | 110 kilometres (68 mi) | 550.48 days | 12,952,000 kilometres (8,048,000 mi) |
|
| Janus | 1966 | Audouin Dollfus | 192,000 | 0.694 days | 151,422 kilometres (94,089 mi) |
| |
| Epimetheus | 1978 | R. Walker S. Larson |
54,000 | 0.694 days | 151,422 kilometres (94,089 mi) | ||
| Pan | 1990 | Mark R. Showalter | 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) | 0.5750 days | 133,583 kilometres (83,005 mi) | ||
| Atlas | 1980 | R. Terrile | 0.6019 days | 137,670 kilometres (85,540 mi) |
| ||
| Prometheus | 1980 | S. A. Collins D. Carlson |
0.613 days | 139,353 kilometres (86,590 mi) |
| ||
| Pandora | 1980 | S. A. Collins D. Carlson |
0.6285 days | 141,700 kilometres (88,000 mi) |
|
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3
"Titan: Facts". NASA Science. 2018-05-02. Archived from the original on 2026-07-19. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
Titan is Saturn's largest moon, and the only moon in our solar system known to have a substantial atmosphere. Titan is the only place besides Earth known to have liquids on its surface.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3
Matthew Williams (2015-10-03). "Saturn's Moon Titan". Universe Today. Archived from the original on 2026-03-05. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
Beyond its size, Titan is also fascinating because it is the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, a fact which has made it very difficult to study until recently. On top of all that, it is the only object other than Earth where clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found. All of this makes Titan the focal point of a great deal of curiosity, and a prime location for future scientific missions.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4
Elizabeth Howell (2014-04-23). "How Many Moons Does Saturn Have?". Universe Today. Archived from the original on 2026-02-07. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
Beyond these larger moons are Saturn's Irregular Moons. These satellites are small, have large radii, are inclined, have mostly retrograde orbits, and are believed to have been acquired by Saturn's gravity.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1
"Why Does Saturn Have 83 Mysterious Moons?". Insane Curiousity. 2024-03-24. Retrieved 2026-07-31 – via YouTube.
Until a few weeks ago, Saturn was the planet with more moons, totaling 83. However, it was dethroned when 12 new moons were discovered orbiting Jupiter, making Jupiter the planet with more moons
- ↑
"Saturn's Moons". Enchanted Learning. Archived from the original on 1999-10-11. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
Saturn has many moons (62 discovered as of 2012). The moons are: Titan, Rhea, Iapetus, Dione, Tethys, Enceladus, Mimas, Hyperion; Prometheus, Pandora (shepherd moons), Phoebe, Janus, Epimetheus, Helene, Telesto, Calypso, Atlas, Pan, Ymir, Paaliaq, Siarnaq, Tarvos, Kiviuq, Ijiraq, Thrymr, Skathi, Mundilfari, Erriapo, Albiorox, Suttung and 30 unnamed moons. Titan is the biggest moon; this moon has a thick nitrogen atmosphere.
- ↑
Matthew Williams (2015-10-23). "Saturn's Moon Rhea". Universe Today. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
Models of Rhea's interior also suggest that it may have an internal liquid-water ocean, similar to Enceladus and Titan. This liquid-water ocean, should it exist, would likely be located at the core-mantle boundary, and would be sustained by the heating caused by from decay of radioactive elements in its core.
- ↑
Matthew Williams (2015-10-23). "Saturn's Moon Tethys". Universe Today. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
Originally discovered by Giovanni Cassini in 1684, Tethys is one of four moons discovered by the great Italian mathematician, astronomer, astrologer and engineer between the years of 1671 and 1684. These include Rhea and Iapetus, which he discovered in 1671-72; and Dione, which he discovered alongside Tethys.
- ↑
Matthew Williams (2015-10-23). "Saturn's "Death-Star" Moon Mimas". Universe Today. Retrieved 2026-07-31.
Much like Saturn's moons Tethys and Rhea, Mimas' peculiar characteristics represents something of a mystery. Not only is it almost entirely composed ice, it's coloration and surface features reveal a great deal about the history of the Saturnian (aka. Cronian) system. On top of that, it may even house an interior, liquid-water ocean.