Head to head
Jupiter vs Saturn
Jupiter and Saturn are the solar system's two gas giants, both made almost entirely of hydrogen and helium. Jupiter is the heavyweight — more massive than everything else in the solar system combined besides the Sun — while Saturn is famous for the most spectacular ring system of any planet and the largest number of confirmed moons.
| Property | Jupiter | Saturn |
|---|---|---|
| Diameter | 139,820 km | 116,460 km |
| Mass (Earth = 1) | 318x | 95x |
| Day length | 9.9 hours | 10.7 hours |
| Year length | 11.9 years | 29.4 years |
| Moons | 95 | 274 |
| Rings | Faint, dusty | Vast, bright, icy |
| Signature storm | Great Red Spot | North polar hexagon |
| Density | 1.33 g/cm3 | 0.69 g/cm3 (would float) |
The verdict
Jupiter wins on size, mass, and storm power; Saturn wins on rings and moon count. Together they shaped the architecture of the entire solar system, flinging comets and asteroids with their enormous gravity.