SATURN
Last Planet   Next Planet		Saturn, the sixth planet, orbits the Sun at a mean distance of 1.427 billion km with a period of 29.4577 tropical years. Among planets in the solar system, Saturn is second in size only to Jupiter. Saturn has the most extensive satellite system in the solar system. Not counting the myriad ring particles, more than 20 bodies orbiting around Saturn have so far been identified. Six can be easily seen through the telescope. Saturn takes its name from Saturn, an Italian god who became equated with the Greek god Cronus. He was the father of all the major gods, and he reigned during the Golden Age. His wife was Ops, the goddess of fruitfulness. The Romans had a holiday honoring him, held around the same time as Christmas, called Saturnalia.

Source: Grollier's Multimedia Encyclopedia, © 1998 Grolier Interactive Inc.