Saturn in fiction
Encyclopedia
The planet
Saturn
is featured in numerous science fiction
novel
s and film
s, although the planet itself usually serves more as a pretty backdrop than as the actual setting.
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
Saturn
Saturn
Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
is featured in numerous science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s and film
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
s, although the planet itself usually serves more as a pretty backdrop than as the actual setting.
Literature
- MicromégasMicromégas"Micromégas" is a short story by the French philosopher and satirist Voltaire. It is a significant development in the history of literature because it originates ideas which helped create the genre of science fiction....
(1752) by VoltaireVoltaireFrançois-Marie Arouet , better known by the pen name Voltaire , was a French Enlightenment writer, historian and philosopher famous for his wit and for his advocacy of civil liberties, including freedom of religion, free trade and separation of church and state...
. Micromégas, an extraterrestrial visitor, arrives at Saturn first (Uranus and Neptune had not yet been discovered in 1752). Saturn's citizens are « only a thousand fathoms high », have 72 senses and live for about 15,000 years. Micromégas forms a close friendship with the secretary of the Academy of Saturn, who accompanies him to Earth. - Off on a CometOff On A CometOff on a Comet is an 1877 science fiction novel by Jules Verne.-Plot summary:The story starts with a comet that touches the Earth in its flight and collects a few small chunks of it. Some forty people of various nations and ages are condemned to a two-year-long journey on the comet. They form a...
(1877) by Jules VerneJules VerneJules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the science fiction genre. He is best known for his novels Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea , A Journey to the Center of the Earth , and Around the World in Eighty Days...
. Adventurers pass within 415,000,000 miles of Saturn while riding on a comet. The book describes Saturn as having 8 satellites and 3 rings. It contains a black and white illustration showing what night might look like from the surface of the planet. The rings are brightly illuminated by the sun, and an elliptical shadow is cast on them by the planet. The drawing shows the surface of Saturn as a rocky, desolate, solid surface. - A Journey in Other WorldsA Journey in Other WorldsA Journey in Other Worlds: A Romance of the Future is a science fiction novel by John Jacob Astor IV, published in 1894.The book offers a fictional account of life in the year 2088...
(1894) by John Jacob Astor IVJohn Jacob Astor IVJohn Jacob Astor IV was an American businessman, real estate builder, investor, inventor, writer, lieutenant colonel in the Spanish-American War and a member of the prominent Astor family...
. Explorers from Earth reach Saturn from Jupiter (which is a tropical jungle world, much like ancient Earth) and find that the planet is a dark, dry, dying planet. The only inhabitants of Saturn are gigantic, ghostGhostIn traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
like creatures that communicate telepathically and can predict the future. - Cthulhu MythosCthulhu MythosThe Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
by H. P. LovecraftH. P. LovecraftHoward Phillips Lovecraft --often credited as H.P. Lovecraft — was an American author of horror, fantasy and science fiction, especially the subgenre known as weird fiction....
et al. Saturn was known as CykranoshCykranoshCykranosh is the fictional name for the planet Saturn in the Cthulhu Mythos. Cykranosh is the creation of Clark Ashton Smith and is part of his Hyperborean cycle...
in the Hyperborean EraHyperborean cycleThe Hyperborean cycle is a series of short stories by Clark Ashton Smith that take place in the fictional prehistoric setting of Hyperborea . Various elements in Smith's cycle have been borrowed by H. P. Lovecraft, most notably the "toad-god" Tsathoggua...
, both TsathogguaTsathogguaTsathoggua is a fictional supernatural entity in the Cthulhu Mythos shared fictional universe. He is the creation of Clark Ashton Smith and is part of his Hyperborean cycle....
and Atlach-Nacha came to Earth from there, and Tsathoggua's paternal uncle Hziulquoigmnzhah still resides there. - Operation Saturn (27 Feb. 1953-21 May 1954) by Frank Hampson. A Dan DareDan DareDan Dare is a British science fiction comic hero, created by illustrator Frank Hampson who also wrote the first stories, that is, the Venus and Red Moon stories, and a complete storyline for Operation Saturn...
story that ran in the original EagleEagle (comic)Eagle was a seminal British children's comic, first published from 1950 to 1969, and then in a relaunched format from 1982 to 1994. It was founded by Marcus Morris, an Anglican vicar from Lancashire. Morris edited a parish magazine called The Anvil, but felt that the church was not communicating...
comic from Volume 3, Issue 47 to Volume 5, Issue 21. - In Captain MarvelCaptain Marvel (DC Comics)Captain Marvel is a fictional comic book superhero, originally published by Fawcett Comics and later by DC Comics. Created in 1939 by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, the character first appeared in Whiz Comics #2...
Adventures #1 'The Monsters of Saturn' Saturn has been invaded by a race of Dragon-men from another world who have enslaved the humanoid inhabitants of the World, who have a legend of a Thunder God freeing them one day. One of them contacts Earth with a radio, causing Cap to travel to Saturn. Captain Marvel wipes the Dragons out before returning to Earth. - Jemm, Son of SaturnJemmJemm is a fictional alien that has appeared in various comic book series published by DC Comics. The character exists in DC's main shared universe, known as the DC Universe...
(1984). Saturn's atmosphere is home to immense, enclosed floating cities, the homes of the Red and White Saturnians, twin races that began as cloned offshoots of the nearly extinct Martian race. Red Saturnians were cloned from Green MartiansMartian ManhunterThe Martian Manhunter is a fictional character, a superhero that appears in publications published by DC Comics. Created by writer Joseph Samachson and artist Joe Certa, the character first appeared in Detective Comics #225...
; White Saturnians were cloned from White MartianWhite MartianThe White Martians are one of three fictional extraterrestrial races native to Mars in the DC Comics' shared universe. White Martians, also known as Pale Martians, appear in the comics of the DC Universe, chiefly JLA, Martian Manhunter, and Son of Vulcan.-History:As a race of shapeshifters,...
s. The two species have a rivalry. Like Martians they have mental powers, allowing them to control or read minds. - In Strange TalesStrange TalesStrange Tales is the name of several comic book anthology series published by Marvel Comics. It introduced the features "Doctor Strange" and "Nick Fury, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D.", and was a showcase for the science fiction/suspense stories of artists Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko, and for the...
#1 (1951) the first story 'The Strange Men' involves beings from the planet Saturn, who, in a subterranean city on an island in the Atlantic ocean, are creating an array of weaponry with which they plan to invade Earth and all the Solar System's other planets. They are humanoid, but require gas masks to protect themselves from our "vile earthly atmosphere". They are so technologically advanced they can walk through walls. - In Journey into MysteryJourney into MysteryJourney into Mystery was an American comic book series published by Atlas Comics, and later its successor Marvel Comics. It featured horror, monster, and science fiction stories...
#83 (1962) "The Stone Men From Saturn", in which Thor (Marvel Comics)Thor (Marvel Comics)Thor is a fictional superhero who appears in publications published by Marvel Comics. The character first appeared in Journey into Mystery #83 and was created by editor-plotter Stan Lee, scripter Larry Lieber, and penciller Jack Kirby....
appears for the first time, a race of humanoids made of stone come to Earth with the intention of invading. They are made extra strong by the high oxygen content of Earth's atmosphere. - In All-Star Comics #13 the Justice Society of AmericaJustice Society of AmericaThe Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
are sent to different planets after being gassedUnconsciousnessUnconsciousness is the condition of being not conscious—in a mental state that involves complete or near-complete lack of responsiveness to people and other environmental stimuli. Being in a comatose state or coma is a type of unconsciousness. Fainting due to a drop in blood pressure and a...
by Nazis and placed into rockets. HawkmanHawkmanHawkman is a fictional superhero who appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Gardner Fox and artist Dennis Neville, the original Hawkman first appeared in Flash Comics #1, published by All-American Publications in 1940....
wakens to find himself in a rocketship and getting ready to crash-land on Saturn. Exiting the ship before then, he sees a man being menaced by a vulture and saves his life. Hearing that the population is being menaced by a tyrant named Hora, Hawkman agrees to lend his services to the populace. He defeats them, is rewarded with a leaden box of radiumRadiumRadium is a chemical element with atomic number 88, represented by the symbol Ra. Radium is an almost pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226,...
and rockets back to Earth. - There are many references to Saturn in the Superman comics.
- The sixth planet from the sun. Superman No. 147/3 describes Saturn as a planet “where there has been no crime at all for centuries .. . and where everyone can perform amazing mental feats!” The complete absence of crime on Saturn is caused by the weird “radiations” emanating from the “meteor- fragments that form Saturn’s rings,” radiations which somehow “cancel out Saturn people’s criminal traits!” (Aug 1961: “The Legion of Super-Villains!").
- Among the particles that make up Saturn’s rings, asserts Superman No. 122/1, are those composed of a so-called “musical mineral,” an exotic substance that emits musical sounds (Jul 1958: “The Secret of the Space Souvenirs”).
- According to Superman No. 128/1, Saturn’s “smaller moons” are actually “gigantic, porous ‘snowballs,’ “satellites that are literally “composed of frozen snow” (Apr 1959: chs. 1-2—”Superman versus the Futuremen”; “The Secret of the Futuremen”).
- Saturn Queen, a member of the Legion of Super-Villains, is a native of Saturn (S No. 147/3, Aug 1961: “The Legion of Super-Villains!”).
- Saturn Girl a member of the Legion of Super-Heroes, hails from Titan, the largest, brightest, and most massive of Saturn’s ten satellites (Adv No. 247/1: "The Legion of Super-Heroes!").
- In February-March 1951, Superman demolishes an unidentified planet that may one day strike Earth, blasting it apart with asteroids diverted from Saturn’s rings (WF No. 50: “Superman, Super Wrecker”).
- In February 1957, for a twelve-hour period, Superman’s personality is imprisoned in the body of Jimmy Olsen and vice versa, as the result of both men’s having unwittingly exposed themselves to the effects of a Saturnian “mentality exchanger” discovered by Superman while exploring the remnants of a long-dead Saturnian civilization (S No. 111/1: "The Non-Super Superman”).
- In July 1958, Superman journeys to Saturn to obtain a sample of the exotic “musical mineral” from Saturn’s rings, and later to Rhea, one of Saturn’s moons, to obtain a strange knotted tree. These are but two of a series of eight so-called “space trophies” which the Man of Steel gathers during this period for inclusion in a time capsule which the Metropolis Museum plans to bury in the ground as a gift for the people of the fiftieth century A.D. (S No. 122: “The Secret of the Space Souvenirs”).
- During a time-journey to the twenty-first century CE, a time when all life on Earth is threatened with imminent extinction as the result of the oceans having been accidentally dissolved “by an atomic experiment,” Superman tows several of Saturn’s “snowball” moons to Earth to alleviate Earth’s catastrophic scarcity of water (S No. 128/1, Apr 1959: chs. 1-2—-”Superman versus the Futuremen”; “The Secret of the Futuremen”).
- In August 1961, Superman transforms Saturn Queen from an adversary into an ally, and there turns the tables on the Legion of Super-Villains, by exposing her to the radiations of meteor fragments taken from Saturn’s rings and thus curing her of her “villainous tendencies” (S No. 147/3: “The Legion Super-Villains!”). (TGSB)
- Saturn RukhSaturn RukhSaturn Rukh is a hard science fiction novel written by the United States physicist Robert L. Forward. It was first published in hardcover in March 1997 by Tor Books. Saturn Rukh is themed around human contact with alien organisms on the gaseous planet Saturn...
(1997), novel by Robert L. Forward. Saturn has native aliens that live within the planet's clouds. - The Clouds of Saturn (1998), novel by Michael McCollum. Saturn is a new place for humanity after EarthEarthEarth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
was heavily boiled by the flaring sun. - Saturn (2003), novel by Ben BovaBen BovaBenjamin William Bova is an American science-fiction author and editor. He is the recipient of six Hugo Awards for Best Professional Editor for his work at Analog Science Fiction in the 1970's.-Personal life:...
. Describes a habitat en route from Earth to Saturn. There is little of Saturn itself in the novel, though. See also: Grand Tour (novel series)Grand Tour (novel series)-Summary:The novels present a theme of exploration and colonization of the solar system by humans in the late 21st century. Most of the books focus on the exploration of one particular planet or planetary moon....
. - Accelerando (2005), short story collection by Charles StrossCharles StrossCharles David George "Charlie" Stross is a British writer of science fiction, Lovecraftian horror and fantasy. He was born in Leeds.Stross specialises in hard science fiction and space opera...
. Humans colonize Saturn's upper atmosphere as the inner planets are dismantled into a Matrioshka BrainMatrioshka brainA matrioshka brain is a hypothetical megastructure proposed by Robert Bradbury, based on the Dyson sphere, of immense computational capacity. It is an example of a Class B stellar engine, employing the entire energy output of a star to drive computer systems...
. - LarklightLarklightLarklight is a children's novel by author Philip Reeve. Illustrated by David Wyatt, it is the first book in the Larklight Trilogy. The hardcover edition has alternate title lines Or the Revenge of the White Spiders! or to Saturn's Rings and Back!...
(2006) by Philip ReevePhilip ReevePhilip Reeve is a British author and illustrator. He presently lives on Dartmoor with his wife Sarah and their son Samuel.-Biography:...
. The First Ones, who inhabitated the Solar SystemSolar SystemThe Solar System consists of the Sun and the astronomical objects gravitationally bound in orbit around it, all of which formed from the collapse of a giant molecular cloud approximately 4.6 billion years ago. The vast majority of the system's mass is in the Sun...
before the planets were formed live in Saturn's rings because of the lighter gravity, which is only a tenth of Earth's. They weave their webs into the rings, and resemble white 12 legged spiders. Saturn has a breathable atmosphereAtmosphereAn atmosphere is a layer of gases that may surround a material body of sufficient mass, and that is held in place by the gravity of the body. An atmosphere may be retained for a longer duration, if the gravity is high and the atmosphere's temperature is low...
, but it is harder to breath then Earth. - The Taking of Chelsea 426The Taking of Chelsea 426The Taking of Chelsea 426 is a BBC Books original novel written by David Llewellyn and based on the long-running British science fiction television series Doctor Who. It features the Tenth Doctor without an official companion...
(2009) by David LlewellynDavid Llewellyn (author)David Llewellyn , is a Welsh novelist. He grew up in Pontypool and graduated from Dartington College of Arts in 2000. His first novel, Eleven, was published by Seren Press in 2006. His second novel, Trace Memory, a spin-off of the BBC drama series Torchwood was published in March 2008. Everything...
. The human colony Chelsea 426 floats on Saturn's gas clouds. - The Night's Dawn TrilogyThe Night's Dawn TrilogyBritish author Peter F. Hamilton's The Night's Dawn Trilogy consists of three science fiction novels: The Reality Dysfunction , The Neutronium Alchemist , and The Naked God...
by Peter F. HamiltonPeter F. HamiltonPeter F. Hamilton is a British author. He is best known for writing space opera. As of the publication of his tenth novel in 2004, his works had sold over two million copies worldwide.- Biography :...
. The rings of Saturn are used in the reproductive flights of the biological starships of the series' Edenists, the Voidhawks, for their combination of magnetosphere and matter to nourish the eggs.
Film, television and radio
- Space Patrol (1962), puppet television series.
- "The Rings of Saturn" episode. Observing Saturn, Dart and his crew notice a meteorMETEORMETEOR is a metric for the evaluation of machine translation output. The metric is based on the harmonic mean of unigram precision and recall, with recall weighted higher than precision...
shadowing the Galasphere. On discovering it is actually a Saturnian spacecraft, Dart makes contact and brings a tape of Saturnian language back to Earth for decoding. When contact is finally made with the planet it transpires that Dart has inadvertently offended the Saturnians by picking leaves of their sacred tree. - "The Miracle Tree Of Saturn" episode. A fungusFungusA fungus is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds , as well as the more familiar mushrooms. These organisms are classified as a kingdom, Fungi, which is separate from plants, animals, and bacteria...
is destroying crops at an alarming rate. By chance Professor Heggarty discovers a cutting from the Saturnians' sacred tree on Raeburn's desk destroys the fungus and Dart is dispatched to Saturn to obtain further supplies. However, their plan has been overheard by an unscrupulous technician.
- "The Rings of Saturn" episode. Observing Saturn, Dart and his crew notice a meteor
- Silent RunningSilent RunningSilent Running is a 1972 environmentally themed science fiction film starring Bruce Dern and directed by Douglas Trumbull, who had previously worked as a special effects supervisor on such science fiction films as 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Andromeda Strain.-Plot summary:Silent Running depicts a...
(1972) is set in a future in which all plant life on Earth is extinct. Only a few specimens have been preserved in a fleet of space freighters, one of which travels to Saturn. - Tim BurtonTim BurtonTimothy William "Tim" Burton is an American film director, film producer, writer and artist. He is famous for dark, quirky-themed movies such as Beetlejuice, Edward Scissorhands, The Nightmare Before Christmas, Ed Wood, Sleepy Hollow, Corpse Bride and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...
's film BeetlejuiceBeetlejuiceBeetlejuice is a 1988 American comedy horror film directed by Tim Burton, produced by The Geffen Film Company and distributed by Warner Bros...
(1988) is partly set on a fictional Saturn, populated by giant sandworms. - In the movie Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver SurferFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver SurferFantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer is a 2007 American superhero film, and the sequel to the 2005 film Fantastic Four. Both films are based on the Fantastic Four comic book and were directed by Tim Story...
, GalactusGalactusGalactus is a fictional character appearing in comic books and other publications published by Marvel Comics. Created by writer-editor Stan Lee and artist and co-plotter Jack Kirby, the character debuted in Fantastic Four #48 , the first of a three-issue story later known as "The Galactus...
consumes Saturn while en route to consume Earth. The planet and the rings are seen dissolving as Galactus, depicted as a spherical nebula with appendages, is en route to Earth. - In WALL-EWALL-EWALL-E, promoted with an interpunct as WALL•E, is a 2008 American computer-animated science fiction film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and directed by Andrew Stanton. The story follows a robot named WALL-E, who is designed to clean up a waste-covered Earth far in the future...
, the title character brushes a hand through the ice comprising Saturn's rings while riding on the outside of a spaceship passing the planet. - In Sailor MoonSailor MoonSailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
, Sailor Saturn is Saturn's protector. Her attacks are based on silence, death, and rebirth. - In FuturamaFuturamaFuturama is an American animated science fiction sitcom created by Matt Groening and developed by Groening and David X. Cohen for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series follows the adventures of a late 20th-century New York City pizza delivery boy, Philip J...
, LeelaLeelaLeela may refer to:Fictional characters:* Leela , a fictional character in the science fiction television series* Leela , a fictional character in the animated television series Futurama...
fills sugar and potato in Mr Wong's exahust pipe. This scene took place on SaturnSaturnSaturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
.
Games
- In the role-playing game Transhuman SpaceTranshuman SpaceTranshuman Space is a role-playing game published by Steve Jackson Games as parts of the "Powered by GURPS" line. Set in the year 2100, humanity has begun to colonize the Solar System...
(2002), the isotope helium-3Helium-3Helium-3 is a light, non-radioactive isotope of helium with two protons and one neutron. It is rare on Earth, and is sought for use in nuclear fusion research...
is harvested from Saturn's atmosphere for use in fusion reactorsFusion powerFusion power is the power generated by nuclear fusion processes. In fusion reactions two light atomic nuclei fuse together to form a heavier nucleus . In doing so they release a comparatively large amount of energy arising from the binding energy due to the strong nuclear force which is manifested...
. - In a Magic School BusThe Magic School BusThe Magic School Bus is a series of children's books about science written by author Joanna Cole. They feature the antics of Ms. Valerie Frizzle, an elementary school teacher, and her class, who board a magical school bus which takes them on field trips to impossible locations such as the solar...
game, Saturn is shown being visited by the school bus.
Literature
- In Isaac AsimovIsaac AsimovIsaac Asimov was an American author and professor of biochemistry at Boston University, best known for his works of science fiction and for his popular science books. Asimov was one of the most prolific writers of all time, having written or edited more than 500 books and an estimated 90,000...
's short story The Martian WayThe Martian Way and Other StoriesThe Martian Way and Other Stories is a 1955 collection of four science fiction novellas previously published by Isaac Asimov in 1952 and 1954. Although single-author story collections generally sell poorly, The Martian Way and Other Stories did well enough that Doubleday science fiction editor...
(1952), Martian colonists use a chunk of ice from Saturn's rings to bring water to the dry world. - In Arthur C. ClarkeArthur C. ClarkeSir Arthur Charles Clarke, CBE, FRAS was a British science fiction author, inventor, and futurist, famous for his short stories and novels, among them 2001: A Space Odyssey, and as a host and commentator in the British television series Mysterious World. For many years, Robert A. Heinlein,...
's novel version of 2001: A Space Odyssey2001: A Space Odyssey (novel)2001: A Space Odyssey is a science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke. It was developed concurrently with Stanley Kubrick's film version and published after the release of the film...
(1968), a spacecraft visits the Saturnian system. When the film version targeted the same spacecraft to JupiterJupiterJupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
, the travel to Saturn was retconned to match in the sequel novel 2010: Odyssey Two2010: Odyssey Two2010: Odyssey Two is a 1982 best-selling science fiction novel by Arthur C. Clarke. It is the sequel to the 1968 novel 2001: A Space Odyssey, but continues the story of Stanley Kubrick's film adaptation with the same title and not Clarke's original novel. The book is a part of Clarke's...
(1982). - In the sixth book of the Yoko TsunoYoko TsunoYoko Tsuno is a comic book series created by the Belgian writer Roger Leloup published by Dupuis and in Spirou since its debut in 1970. Through twenty-five volumes, the series tell the adventures of Yoko Tsuno, a female electrical engineer of Japanese origin surrounded by her close friends, Vic...
comic book series (Les Trois soleils de VinéaLes Trois soleils de VinéaLes Trois soleils de Vinéa is the sixth book from Yoko Tsuno comic book series written by Roger Leloup and published in 1976. -Story:...
, 1976), a small part of the action takes place on a Vinean space station in orbit around Saturn. Saturn's moon TitanTitan (moon)Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found....
is also briefly mentioned and depicted. Other Saturnian moons are visible but not named. - Ben BovaBen BovaBenjamin William Bova is an American science-fiction author and editor. He is the recipient of six Hugo Awards for Best Professional Editor for his work at Analog Science Fiction in the 1970's.-Personal life:...
's novel Saturn (2003) is about a spacecraft traveling toward the planet, although Saturn itself does not figure greatly in the story. - In Orson Scott CardOrson Scott CardOrson Scott Card is an American author, critic, public speaker, essayist, columnist, and political activist. He writes in several genres, but is primarily known for his science fiction. His novel Ender's Game and its sequel Speaker for the Dead both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the...
's Ender's GameEnder's GameEnder's Game is a science fiction novel by American author Orson Scott Card. The book originated as the short story "Ender's Game", published in the August 1977 issue of Analog Science Fiction and Fact. Elaborating on characters and plot lines depicted in the novel, Card later wrote additional...
series, Saturn is where Mazer Rackham fought and defeated the Formics with a small reserve patrol fleet during the Second Invasion. - Hugh Walters'Hugh Walters (author)Hugh Walters was a writer of juvenile Science Fiction novels from Bradley in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
juvenile novel Spaceship to SaturnSpaceship to SaturnSpaceship to Saturn is a juvenile science fiction novel, the tenth in Hugh Walters' "Chris Godfrey of U.N.E.X.A." series. It was published in 1967 in the UK by Faber and in the US by Criterion Books and in Portugal under the title Voo para Saturno by Edições Dêagã in 1975.-Plot summary:The length...
(1967) - the tenth in a series chronicling the exploits of the (fictional) "United Nations Exploration Agency" - features the first mission to Saturn. - In the Sailor MoonSailor MoonSailor Moon, known as , is a media franchise created by manga artist Naoko Takeuchi. Fred Patten credits Takeuchi with popularizing the concept of a team of magical girls, and Paul Gravett credits the series with "revitalizing" the magical-girl genre itself...
manga, Princess Saturn's castle is located in an unnamed moon of the planet.
Film and television
- Star TrekStar TrekStar Trek is an American science fiction entertainment franchise created by Gene Roddenberry. The core of Star Trek is its six television series: The Original Series, The Animated Series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, and Enterprise...
film and television franchise.- "Tomorrow Is Yesterday" (1967), Star TrekStar Trek: The Original SeriesStar Trek is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry, produced by Desilu Productions . Star Trek was telecast on NBC from September 8, 1966, through June 3, 1969...
episode. Sean Jeffrey Christopher is mentioned as having headed the first "Earth-Saturn probe". - "The First Duty" (1992), Star Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next GenerationStar Trek: The Next Generation is an American science fiction television series created by Gene Roddenberry as part of the Star Trek franchise. Roddenberry, Rick Berman, and Michael Piller served as executive producers at different times throughout the production...
episode. The Starfleet Academy Flight Range is located in the vicinity of Saturn, with an emergency evacuation center on Mimas. - Star Trek (2009), re-imagined film. The crew of the USS Enterprise hides behind Titan, using Saturn's magnetic field as a shield, while beaming Captain Kirk and Commander Spock aboard the Narada, which is about to attack Earth.
- "Tomorrow Is Yesterday" (1967), Star Trek
- Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
- The Invisible EnemyThe Invisible EnemyThe Invisible Enemy is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in four weekly parts from 1 October to 22 October 1977...
(1977) is set on TitanTitan (moon)Titan , or Saturn VI, is the largest moon of Saturn, the only natural satellite known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object other than Earth for which clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid has been found....
, where humanity has a base in the year 5000 but it is still not uninhabitable. - The episode "Blitzkrieg" from the science fictionScience fictionScience fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series The Super Dimension Fortress MacrossThe Super Dimension Fortress Macrossis an anime television series. According to story creator Shoji Kawamori, it depicts "a love triangle against the backdrop of great battles" during the first Human-alien war....
(1982–1983) takes place in Saturn's rings, where the SDF-1 engages the enemy alien ZentraediZentradiThe are a fictional, militastic race of alien, humanoid giants and often the main antagonist in The Super Dimension Fortress Macross anime series and its Robotech adaptation....
forces from a concealed location. The beginning of the movie adaptation Macross: Do You Remember Love? also takes place near the moon Titan and Saturn's rings. - Megas XLRMegas XLRMegas XLR is an American animated television series that aired on the Toonami block on Cartoon Network and is produced by Cartoon Network Studios. It was created by Jody Schaeffer and George Krstic...
(2004), animated TV series. Main character Coop Cooplowski accidentally creates a big gap in Saturn's rings, saying "it looks better that way".
Games
- The Citadel research and mining space station, setting of the computer game System ShockSystem ShockSystem Shock is a first-person action-adventure video game developed by Looking Glass Technologies and published by Origin Systems. Released in 1994, the game is set aboard the fictional Citadel Station in a cyberpunk vision of 2072...
(1994), is in orbit of Saturn for most of the game.
- One of the Stardroids is based on this planet, in fact it is named Saturn. See thisMega Man V (Game Boy)Mega Man V, known as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Capcom for the Game Boy handheld game console. It is the fifth and final game in the Game Boy version of the original Mega Man series. The game follows the adventures of the protagonist Mega Man as he must defend the Earth...
.
- In the game XGRA: Extreme-G Racing AssociationXGRA: Extreme-G Racing AssociationXGRA: Extreme G-Racing Association is a futuristic racing game and the follow-up to Extreme-G 3. This game features more tracks as well as a brand new weapon system.-Overview:...
(2003) two race circuits are on an asteroid in orbit around Saturn. On the outdoor sections, Saturn is clearly visible.
- In the RPG Final Fantasy VIIFinal Fantasy VIIis a role-playing video game developed by Square and published by Sony Computer Entertainment as the seventh installment in the Final Fantasy series. It was originally released in 1997 for the Sony PlayStation and was re-released in 1998 for Microsoft Windows-based personal computers and in 2009...
, Saturn's ring system is destroyed in Sephiroth's Super Nova spell sequence during the final battle.
Other
- In C. S. LewisC. S. LewisClive Staples Lewis , commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis and known to his friends and family as "Jack", was a novelist, academic, medievalist, literary critic, essayist, lay theologian and Christian apologist from Belfast, Ireland...
's novel That Hideous StrengthThat Hideous StrengthThat Hideous Strength is a 1945 novel by C. S. Lewis, the final book in Lewis's theological science fiction Space Trilogy. The events of this novel follow those of Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra and once again feature the philologist Elwin Ransom...
(1945), we learn of a prophecy that RansomElwin RansomElwin Ransom is the prominent character from C. S. Lewis's Space Trilogy series. He is the main character in the books Out of the Silent Planet and Perelandra, which are told almost entirely from his point of view...
"shall be Pendragon in the time when Saturn descends from his sphereCelestial spheresThe celestial spheres, or celestial orbs, were the fundamental entities of the cosmological models developed by Plato, Eudoxus, Aristotle, Ptolemy, Copernicus and others...
". This prophecy is fulfilled when Lurga, the Oyarsa of Saturn, appears in the top floor of the house at St. Anne's along with the Oyéresu of MercuryMercury (planet)Mercury is the innermost and smallest planet in the Solar System, orbiting the Sun once every 87.969 Earth days. The orbit of Mercury has the highest eccentricity of all the Solar System planets, and it has the smallest axial tilt. It completes three rotations about its axis for every two orbits...
(Viritrilbia), VenusVenusVenus is the second planet from the Sun, orbiting it every 224.7 Earth days. The planet is named after Venus, the Roman goddess of love and beauty. After the Moon, it is the brightest natural object in the night sky, reaching an apparent magnitude of −4.6, bright enough to cast shadows...
(Perelandra), MarsMarsMars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
(Malacandra), and JupiterJupiterJupiter is the fifth planet from the Sun and the largest planet within the Solar System. It is a gas giant with mass one-thousandth that of the Sun but is two and a half times the mass of all the other planets in our Solar System combined. Jupiter is classified as a gas giant along with Saturn,...
(Glund).