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How big is Saturn?

Saturn is 120,000 kilometers

Introduction

Have you ever wondered how big the planets in our Solar System are? Today, we’re going to take a closer look at the second-largest planet, Saturn. It’s a gas giant, which means it’s mostly made up of gases like hydrogen and helium. But just how big is Saturn compared to our own planet, Earth? Let’s explore!

The Size of Saturn

Saturn is a giant among planets. On average, its radius is about nine and a half times that of Earth. That’s like stacking nine and a half Earths on top of each other!

  • Saturn’s diameter (the distance from one side of the planet to the other) is about 72,367 miles (116,460 kilometers). That’s almost ten times the diameter of Earth! - Despite its size, Saturn is only one-eighth as dense as Earth. That’s because it’s a gas giant, made up mainly of hydrogen and helium, which are lighter than the rock and metal that make up most of Earth. - Even though it’s less dense, Saturn is still over 95 times more massive than Earth. That’s a lot of gas!

Saturn Compared to Other Objects

Now that we know how big Saturn is compared to Earth, let’s see how it stacks up against other objects in our Solar System.

  • Jupiter, the largest planet, is only slightly bigger than Saturn. Jupiter’s radius is about 11 times that of Earth, compared to Saturn’s nine and a half. - Saturn’s largest moon, Titan, is bigger than the planet Mercury! Titan’s diameter is about 3,200 miles (5,150 kilometers), while Mercury’s is only about 3,032 miles (4,879 kilometers). - Saturn’s iconic rings stretch out more than 175,000 miles (282,000 kilometers) from the planet. That’s almost the distance from Earth to the Moon!

Inside Saturn

Saturn isn’t just big on the outside. Inside, it has layers upon layers, each one different from the last.

  • At the heart of Saturn is a rocky core. This core is surrounded by a deep layer of metallic hydrogen.
  • Above the metallic hydrogen is a layer of liquid hydrogen and liquid helium. This layer is very dense and makes up most of Saturn’s mass. - The outermost layer is a gaseous envelope of hydrogen and helium. This layer gives Saturn its pale yellow color, thanks to ammonia crystals in the upper atmosphere.

Saturn’s Magnetic Field

Even Saturn’s magnetic field is big! It’s weaker than Earth’s magnetic field, but it has a magnetic moment 580 times that of Earth. This is because of Saturn’s larger size and the electrical current within the metallic hydrogen layer. So, next time you look up at the night sky and see Saturn, remember just how big it really is. It’s a gas giant with a size that’s hard to imagine, but hopefully, now you have a better idea of just how large Saturn really is.

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