Though Saturn's rings steal the show, the planet and its moons also fascinate astronomers. Its cream-colored surface is but the visible skin of an atmosphere that, deep down, becomes dense enough to crush any astronaut foolish enough to parachute in. Because Saturn is so remote from the Sun's warmth, a high-altitude haze veils the planet, giving it a far blander appearance than Jupiter's. The highly reflective chunks of water ice which make up the rings outshine the ammonia clouds that top Saturn's atmosphere. There is much yet to be learned about Saturn, which is why the Cassini spacecraft is now on its way there.
Titan is the only satellite in the solar system with a substantial atmosphere.
In many ways, it is a deep-freeze version of Earth. These clouds cloak Titan's surface, so no one knows for sure what is down there. It is probably a mix of methane and water-ice glaciers, with lakes of liquid ethane, a form of liquid natural gas. Cassini will take tens of thousands of close-up images of Saturn, its rings, and moons. It's safe to say that the exploration of Saturn has just begun.