Enceladus
Enceladus
Moon
Pisces
Visible
Level 6
Professional/Research - Timing dependent
Properties
Magnitude
11.8
Angular Size
0.1 arcmin
Type: Moon
Distance: 0.002 AU
Orbital Period: 1.4 days
Diameter: 504 km
Atmosphere: Water vapor near south pole
Features: Tiger stripes, geysers, smooth plains
Most reflective body in the solar system; active water-ice geysers at south pole. Subsurface ocean makes it a prime astrobiology target. Challenging at mag 11.8, requires 6 inch telescope and good seeing.
Position & Identifiers
RA
00h 21m 10.6s
Dec
-00° 02' 00.5"
Constellation
Pisces
Catalog
Enceladus
Physical Properties
Diameter
504 km
Mass
1.08e20 kg
Albedo
0.99
(99% reflected)
Temperature
-240°C to -198°C
Rotation
32.9 hours
Atmosphere
Water vapor near south pole
Surface
Tiger stripes, geysers, smooth plains
Angular Size
0.1″ (current)
Orbital Properties
Semi-major Axis
0.0016 AU
(237,861 km)
Eccentricity
0.0047
Inclination
0.02°
Orbital Period
1.4 days
Distance
10.517 AU
(1.46 light-hours)
Elongation
2.4°
Near Sun
Observing Tips
Best Months
April
, May
, June
Visibility
Telescope
Where to Look
Near Saturn
Notes
Most reflective body in the solar system; active water-ice geysers at south pole. Subsurface ocean makes it a prime astrobiology target. Challenging at mag 11.8, requires 6 inch telescope and good seeing.
Parent Body
Discovery
Discovered by
William Herschel
Date
1789-08-28
Current Ephemeris
10.517
AU from Earth
1.57B
km
0.1″
Angular Size
2°
Elongation
Visibility
Set a location in User Settings to see visibility data.
Community Photos (1)
Credit: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) / Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). License: Public domain. (Wikimedia Commons)
Skybred Feb 28, 2026