Saturn was known to ancient astronomers and does not have a singular discovery moment like some celestial objects. It is one of the five planets visible to the naked eye from Earth and has been observed since ancient times. Its existence was recorded by various ancient cultures, including the Babylonians and Greeks. Galileo Galilei, in 1610, was the first to observe it with a telescope and noted its unusual appearance, though he did not recognize the rings as such. It was only later that the rings of Saturn were identified and understood as a distinct feature of the planet.