Enceladus
Enceladus
Moon of Saturn
Enceladus facts
- Orbits
- Saturn
- Distance from Saturn
- 238,040 km (4.1 Saturn-radii)
- Orbital period
- 1.4 days
- Diameter
- 504 km
- Mass
- 1.08 × 10²⁰ kg
- Orbital inclination
- 0.02°
- Tidally locked
- Yes
- Discovered
- 1789, by William Herschel
Enceladus orbits Saturn
Watch Enceladus (highlighted) circle Saturn. Press play; the moons run at their real relative speeds.
Relative sizes and spacing are compressed; orbits shown coplanar. Click a moon for its page.
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About Enceladus
Enceladus is a small, brilliantly white moon of Saturn that shoots plumes of water vapor and ice into space from a global subsurface ocean, feeding one of Saturn's rings. Those geysers carry organic molecules, making this tiny world a leading target in the search for life.
- Named after a Giant of Greek myth
- Discovered: 1789, by William Herschel
Enceladus: frequently asked questions
- What is Enceladus?
- Enceladus is a small, brilliantly white moon of Saturn that shoots plumes of water vapor and ice into space from a global subsurface ocean, feeding one of Saturn's rings.
- What planet does Enceladus orbit?
- Enceladus orbits Saturn at an average distance of about 238,040 km, completing one lap every 1.4 days.
- How big is Enceladus?
- Enceladus has a diameter of about 504 km and a mass of roughly 1.08 × 10²⁰ kg.
- Why is Enceladus famous?
- Enceladus's claim to fame: erupts icy geysers of water vapor from a subsurface ocean through fractures near its south pole.
See Enceladus in motion
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Data from NASA/JPL and NSSDCA. Source.