Moons of Saturn
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The moons of Saturn are the natural satellites orbiting Saturn, the sixth planet from the Sun. Saturn has a large number of moons, ranging from those comparable in size to the planet Mercury down to small rocky bodies several kilometers across. Many new moons have been discovered in recent years using ground-based telescopes and spacecraft imaging, so the total number changes frequently.
The moons vary widely in structure and surface characteristics. Most are composed of water ice and rock; many have numerous craters, while others show signs of recent geological activity, such as cryovolcanic features and ice fountains. Their orbital distances also vary: some orbit very close to Saturn, while others follow distant, elongated paths.
Titan
Titan is Saturn's largest moon and the only one in the solar system with a dense, stable atmosphere. Its atmosphere is primarily nitrogen and contains methane. Its surface features hydrocarbon lakes and seas that exist under extremely cold conditions. A probe landed there in 2005 and sent back images showing liquid-hydrocarbon seas and weather systems with distinct cloud formations.
Enceladus and ice geysers
Enceladus is a small moon with a highly reflective surface. Geysers at its south pole have been observed ejecting water ice and gas—a phenomenon known as cryovolcanism. These emissions contribute to Saturn's E-ring. Scientists estimate that a subsurface ocean of liquid water lies beneath its ice crust, making Enceladus a significant location in the search for potential habitability.
Other large moons
Rhea, Iapetus, Dione, Tethys, and Mimas are medium-sized moons composed primarily of ice. Iapetus is notable for having a dark hemisphere and a bright hemisphere. Mimas displays a prominent crater on its surface. Hyperion has an irregular shape and an unpredictable, chaotic orbit. Phoebe orbits in a direction opposite to that of the other moons, suggesting it was originally captured from beyond Saturn's system.
Moons associated with Saturn's rings
Several small moons influence the structure of Saturn's rings. Prometheus exerts a steady effect on the F-ring. Janus and Epimetheus share nearly identical orbits and periodically exchange positions—a phenomenon known as co-orbital exchange. Other small moons occupy gaps within the ring system.