Saturn is probably the most recognizable planet
in our Solar System with large, bright rings
encircling it.
It is the sixth planet from the Sun, the second
largest Gas Giant planet, and about twice
as far from the Sun as Jupiter.
Saturn is an intriguing planet with its size,
its wide rings, and its diverse moons.
While all of the Gas Giant planets have ring
systems, Saturn’s is by far the most prominent.
Once thought to be solid structures, the rings
of Saturn are composed of potentially billions
of small objects.
The size of the particles varies greatly from
tiny clumps of ice to boulders larger than
automobile.
Since the rings are a collection of individual
objects, each particle, clump or boulder is
following its own gravitationally bound orbit
around Saturn.
Now the largescale structure of the rings
we see has been divided into seven ring groups
with various gaps observed between them.
There are three prominent rings, A, B, and
C, and four fainter rings, D, E, F, and G.
The rings were given these letter designations
in the order of their discovery.
As a matter of scale, the dark gap seen between
the A and B rings, named the Cassini division
after its discoverer, measures 2,920 miles
wide, which is just about wide enough for
the planet Mercury to orbit inside the gap.
So you can see just how enormous Saturn’s
ring system is, its full width extends approximately
350,000 miles across.
Yet this massive collection of billions of
particles spanning hundreds of thousands of
miles across is so balanced by the laws of
gravity that its thickness is less half a
mile.
This razor-thin geometry, at least on the
scale of Saturn, induces a seeming optical
illusion every 15 years or so, when Saturn’s
rings disappear.
Known as ring-plane crossing, the ring orientation
becomes edge on, so that we are looking exactly
along their plane.
Through history, the times of Saturn’s ring-plane
crossing from Earth’s vantage point have
been periods of great discovery.
You see, with the beautiful and stunningly
bright rings out of view, Saturn’s system
of moons can be probed with greater effectiveness.
Prior to the era of satellite missions, numerous
of Saturn’s moons were found during these
periods.
And Saturn has lots of moons, in the neighborhood
of over 60.
Of these moons, Titan is the largest, and
is the second largest moon in the Solar System
larger than even the planet Mercury.
Interestingly, Titan is the only known moon
in our Solar System to have a dense atmosphere.
Even though it is large and has been observed
for a long time, very little was known about
this moon, that is until the Cassini satellite
arrived in 2004 and began its long mission
in orbit around Saturn.
One of Cassini’s primary missions was to
study Titan.
The satellite released a separate probe, named
the Huygens Probe, which entered the atmosphere
of Titan and descended to the surface.
This probe allowed astronomers to study the
amazing geographic features of Titan.
Titan turned out to be an extreme world, where
its surface has been shaped by rivers and
lakes of liquid ethane and methane.
Saturn is an excellent example of the magnificent
beauty and order in the Cosmos.
As one of the most recognizable planets in
the Solar System, Saturn and its ordered system
of rings and moons reflects the Grand Design
given by the Great Designer.
Everything God created is meant to reflect
on His glory, and Saturn is no exception.
As it says in Psalm 66, Come and see the works
of God (Psalm 66:5).
