Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest in the Solar System, after Jupiter. It is a gas giant with an average radius of about nine times that of Earth. It only has one-eighth the average density of Earth; however, with its larger volume, Saturn is over 95 times more massive. It has the largest rings in the system as well. Saturn's rings are about 175,000 miles (282,000 km) across, but only about 3,200 feet (~1 km) thick. If you had a model of Saturn that was a meter stick wide (3 feet), its rings would be about 10,000 times thinner than a razor blade! Saturn and its rings would just fit in the distance between Earth and the Moon.
Saturn is approximately 75% hydrogen and 25% helium with traces of other substances like methane and water ice. Saturn's atmosphere, although similar to Jupiter's, is much less interesting to look at from a distance.
Forces deep inside Saturn create a giant magnetic bubble around the planet, called the magnetosphere, which exerts a powerful influence on the space environment near the planet. Saturn's magnetic field is created as material cycles deep within the planet's fluid interior.
Saturn is considerably colder than Jupiter being further from the Sun, with an average temperature of about -285 degrees F. Wind speeds on Saturn are extremely high, having been measured at slightly more than 1,000 mph, considerably higher than Jupiter.
Distance from the sun: 890.9 million miles Orbital Period: 29 years Radius: 36,184 miles Length of day: 10 hours, 42 minutes Surface area: 16.49 bilion miles squared