The construct of a “ day ”   seems so obvious to humans that it often come as a surprisal that   day duration on other planet   can be very different from our own . Perhaps even more shocking is that we did n’t sleep together the distance of a solar day on Saturn until now .

Thanks to the data collected by the Cassini mission we last have an response to this long - standing mystery . Saturn rotates on its axis in 10 hours , 33 minutes and 38 seconds . The findings   are write in theAstrophysical Journal .

Planetary scientist have often used magnetised theater to estimate planetary rotation . If the magnetic field and the gyration axis of a satellite are not aligned , it is possible to measure periodic signals in tuner waves that reprize   every day . But on Saturn , the magnetic field of study is almost inperfect alliance , so this has not been possible .

Therefore , researchers had to come up with a different glide path and hypothesized that hit the books the rings of Saturn could be primal to finally immobilise down a numeral . As the planet rotates , subtle difference in somberness generate waves within the rings , and these can be used to count on the distance of a Clarence Day . This was first proposed in 1982 and then planned in more detail in 1990 by discipline co - author Dr Mark Marley , long before it was in reality possible to see the phenomenon .

" Particles throughout the rings ca n’t facilitate but feel these oscillation in the gravitation line of business , " take generator Christopher Mankovich , a graduate research worker at the University of California , Santa Cruz , said in astatement . " At specific locations in the rings these oscillation watch ring particle at just the right time in their orbits to gradually build up vitality , and that vigor gets carried away as an observable wave . "

This result was potential thanks to the Cassini   spacecraft ’s observation of Saturn ’s closed chain . The deputation squad made the conclusion to doss down the investigation into Saturn as it began to carry short of fuel , but not before it was move into a closer and more daring orbit . The “ Grand Finale ” stage took Cassini between Saturn and its tintinnabulation , give way investigator unparalleled purview . The mission , a collaboration between NASA , the European Space Agency , and the Italian Space Agency , end in September 2017 .