Did you know that Saturn has as many as 62 moons? Here are some interesting facts about this planet 

The sixth planet in our solar system, Saturn, is one of the easiest celestial bodies to recognise due to the unique rings which circle around it. Although it is not the only planet or celestial body to have rings which are composed of chunks of rock and ice, it stands out due to their enormous size and striking colours. However, its 7 rings are not the only feature which make this planet incredibly fascinating. Read on to learn some interesting trivia about Saturn. 

Saturn’s 7 rings occasionally “disappear” 

Technically, the planet’s ring don’t disappear, nor can they. However, they do appear to be moving away quite a bit. This is because similar to the Earth, Saturn has a tilted axis. From our point of view, it is possible to clearly observe its changing position as it completes its revolution around the sun over the course of 30 years. Over the course of these years, we are able to witness the rings in their full glory but sometimes, only their edges are visible. This makes it seem as though the rings are disappearing. The last time this took place was between 2008 and 2009. It is expected to happen again during 2024 and 2025. 

The planet resembles a flattened ball 

Saturn has a unique tendency at a rapid pace on its axis. As a consequence of this, it flattens itself out into an oblate spheroid. Additionally, its equator is bulged out. Due to this, when we look at Saturn from Earth, or even at a picture of it, it appears to resemble a flattened ball, as though someone has squished it a little bit. 

It has as many as 62 moons 

The planet with the most moons of all time is Jupiter, with 67. Saturn is a close second with as many as 62 moons. Its largest one is called ‘Titan’ which is also the second-largest moon in our solar system. However, most others are quite tiny and have not even been assigned an official name yet. Scientists expect to come across more of its tiny moons in the coming years. 

The age of Saturn’s 7 rings is still a mystery 

Scientists and astronomers have still not been able to estimate exactly how old Saturn’s famous rings are. Some believe that it is quite possible that they have existed since the formation of the solar system which was about 4.54 billion years ago. Others think they developed as the planet was formed. Another theory suggests that they were formed quite recently as a result of  a 300-km ice moon tearing apart due to Saturn’s gravity.