Pan

Saturn · moons · ring shepherd · space

Saturn's tiniest moon. Pan is the innermost named moon of Saturn, measuring only about 35 kilometers (22 miles) across. That makes it smaller than many mountains on Earth.

Looks like a ravioli. Pan has an unusual lumpy shape that scientists sometimes describe as looking like a walnut or ravioli. It's definitely not a smooth, round ball like most moons.

A ring shepherd. Pan orbits inside the Encke Gap, a large empty space in Saturn's A Ring, and it uses its gravity like an invisible broom to sweep away any ring particles. This keeps the gap clean and clear.

Discovered quite recently. Pan wasn't discovered until 1990, making it one of Saturn's newly found moons compared to the bigger ones found centuries ago.

Orbits super close. Pan travels inside Saturn's rings closer to the planet than almost any other named moon, which is why it's the perfect shepherd for keeping the Encke Gap empty.