Moon of Saturn · Updated May 2026
Enceladus.
Enceladus is a small icy moon of Saturn — just 504 km across — that sprays plumes of water ice into space from giant fissures near its south pole. The plumes feed Saturn's E ring and contain salts, organic molecules, and molecular hydrogen, evidence of hydrothermal activity in a global subsurface ocean.
View Saturn system in 3D →Key facts
Enceladus is the most reflective body in the solar system — its fresh icy surface reflects ~99% of incoming sunlight. The viewer renders this with a near-white albedo on the moon's surface.
About Enceladus
Cassini repeatedly flew through the plumes between 2005 and 2017, sampling the chemistry of an alien ocean directly. The combination of liquid water, energy from hydrothermal vents, and complex organics makes Enceladus, alongside Europa, one of the strongest astrobiology targets known.
How to view Enceladus in 3D
Enceladus orbits Saturn in real time inside the interactive viewer. Open the parent body to see the orbital geometry, or use the object browser to fly directly to the moon and observe its rotation, surface, and orbit.
Open the Saturn system →Sources & methodology
Numbers cross-referenced with the sources below; updated May 2026.