If a cosmic giant sat on a big, gassy planet, it would look a lot like Saturn, the second-largest planet in the solar system. It’s 10 percent wider through its equator than through the poles. But Saturn flattened itself – a result of its low density and fast rotation.

Saturn consists of a series of layers. Its core is a dense ball of metal and rock. Around that is a layer of hydrogen that’s squeezed so tightly that it forms a metal. Around that is a layer of liquid hydrogen – the lightest and simplest chemical element. And the planet is topped by an atmosphere that contains methane, ammonia, water, and other compounds.

Despite its great size, Saturn spins once every 10.7 hours. That pushes material outward, making the planet fatter through the equator. The combination of its composition and rotation makes Saturn especially light – it’s less dense than water.

Saturn doesn’t have a solid surface. But scientists have defined a “surface” as the depth in its atmosphere where the pressure equals the surface pressure on Earth. At that level, Saturn’s gravity is only a bit stronger than Earth’s gravity. So if you were floating at that altitude, you’d feel like you’d added a few pounds. And because of Saturn’s flattened shape, you’d feel heavier at the poles than the equator.

Look for Saturn near the Moon tonight. It looks like a bright star to the right of the Moon in early evening, and farther below the Moon at dawn.

Script by Damond Benningfield