Saturn’s two moons inside the main rings

Daphnis and Pan compared.

Published 2026-10-23

Only two known shepherd moons orbit within Saturn’s main rings: Daphnis and Pan.^[1]

Pan

Pan is about 35 km across and keeps the Encke Gap clear. It has been compared to a walnut or ravioli.^[5]

Daphnis

Daphnis is about 7.8 km across and orbits in the narrower Keeler Gap, about 42 km wide.^[1]

Orbits

Daphnis’s inclination and eccentricity are small but significantly greater than Pan’s.^[1]

Shepherd names

Daphnis is named after a shepherd, pipes player and pastoral poet of Greek mythology.^[1]

Numbered citations link to the sources list on the Daphnis overview page.