Solar eclipses on Saturn

Solar eclipses on Saturn occur when the natural satellites of Saturn pass in front of the Sun as seen from Saturn. For bodies which appear smaller in angular diameter than the Sun, the proper term would be a transit. For bodies which are larger than the apparent size of the Sun, the proper term would be an occultation. The seven out of nine satellites of Saturn; Mimas, Enceladus, Tethys, Rhea, Dione, Titan and Iapetus would pass the solar disk and capable of producing shadows in the form of eclipses, the smaller ones are the same as would pass the solar disk while the distant moons are too small and too distant to be able occult the Sun, so can only transit the Sun. Most of the more distant satellites also have orbits that are strongly inclined to the plane of Saturn's orbit, and would rarely be seen to transit. Powerful telescopes are needed to see the spectacular event.

See also