Saturn is a gas giant made entirely of hydrogen and helium. It sits at the center of a complex system of rings and at least 62 moons. The planet and its companions are almost a complete solar system themselves, as the rings are composed of billions of separate particles. These separate particles are usually visible in even a small telescope, long in the past Saturn earned the title of “jewel of the solar system.” It wasn’t until 1970 when probes were sent to the planet and were able to give astronomers (and everyone else who marveled at the glorious images) a better and closer look at the planet and it’s mysteries.
Ever since Galieo focused his crude telescope at the giant planet back in 1610, Saturn’s extraordinary rings have been recognized as a marvel of the solar system. But the planet itself which holds in the rings, may seem not as extraordinary, although it is almost just as breath – taking.
From space we can observe only the brief cloud tops of the planet, even these are often obscured by a yellow haze.
