Because Saturn doesn’t have a visible surface, scientists have used the rotation period of the planet’s magnetic field to measure the planet’s rotation, a technique used successfully for other gas giants. In a paper published in last week’s issue of „Science“, researchers said that geysers erupting from Saturn’s moon Enceladus eject water vapor and ice that interact with the planet’s magnetic field, weighing down the field and making the planet to appear to rotate more slowly. This effect may explain past observed changes in the planet’s rotation period.
Enceladus Geysers Mask the Length of Saturn’s Day