Surt and Ragnarok

The fire giant behind Saturn’s moon Surtur.

Published 2026-10-23

Surtur is named after Surt, a leader of the fire giants in Norse mythology.^[1]

Guardian of Muspell

NASA describes Surt as guarding Muspell, the land of fire.^[2]

The end of the world

At Ragnarok, Surt is destined to lead the fire giants against the gods.^[2] In the Eddic account, Surtr advances from the south, his sword brighter than the sun.^[5]

The battle

The god Freyr fights Surtr and loses. The sun turns black, the earth sinks into the sea, and flames touch the heavens.^[5]

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