Have You Tried To See The Moons Of Saturn? 

The moons of Saturn are varied and plentiful. Saturn, like Jupiter, possesses over 60 moons. Most of these are not like the Moon we have here on earth.

Most of Saturn's natural satellites are just giant bodies of ice and/or rock.

I'm focusing this page on the regular moons visible to the backyard stargazer.

Eight of Saturn's moons are visible in the right seeing conditions and with a large enough telescope.

With magnitudes between 10 and 12 all eight would be visible in almost any amateur telescope if not for the brightness of Saturn itself.

With the exception of Titan, which you could easily find in this scope  

Orion XT8 Classic Dobsonian Telescope & Beginner Barlow Kit

a 10in(250mm) telescope under dark skies is probably needed to find most of these satellites.

In order from the planet outward you find:

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MIMAS

Apparent Magnitude: 12.9

Orbit Time: 21.5 hours

Discovered: 9/17/1789 by William Herschel

Does Mimas look familiar? Some think this moon resembles the death-star from Star Wars. What do you think?

Mimas is the 20th largest moon in the solar system and the smallest body to become rounded by its own gravity.

ENCELADUS

Apparent Magnitude: 11.7

Orbit Time: 1.5 days

Discovered: 8/28/1789 by William Herschel

The sixth largest of Saturn's regular moons.

One of only 3 bodies in the outer solar system, along with Io and Triton where active eruptions have been seen. Ice particles from these eruptions are believed to be the cause of the “E” ring of Saturn.

TETHYS

Apparent Magnitude: 10.2

Orbit Time: 45.5 hours

Discovered: 3/24/1684 by Giovanni Cassini

the 16th largest natural satellite and the second brightest of Saturn's moons.

A pair of co-orbital moons, Telesto in front and Calypso behind are each 60 degrees away from Tethys.

DIONE

Apparent Magnitude: 10.4

Orbit Time: 2.7 days

Discovered: 3/21/1684 by Giovanni Cassini

15th largest moon in the solar system. Similar to Rhea though smaller but denser.

More massive than all other smaller known moons combined.

Dione has an icy surface and is heavily cratered.

moons of Saturn PG2

Celestial Solar System › MOONS › moons of Saturn