How many rings are there on saturn

They estimated the rings' age in part by examining the ice granules that make up the bulk of them. That ice is primarily water, with a little bit of methane and carbon dioxide, says Weiss. Sometimes the ice covers some rocky material, as the particles weather over time, they lose some reflectivity. A dust layer may also build up over time. In this way, age can be estimated by reflectivity, but the Colorado research showed that even shiny, reflective particles might be old.

So how did the particles get there? One theory is that the rings are made up of the remnants of moons shattered by meteorites. Or they may be leftover debris from a comet that broke up. For now, astronomers count eight main rings. Dones said that the Dust Accelerator Laboratory at the University of Colorado, Boulder may be able to replicate this impact process and give us a better idea of the staying power of the pollutants.

Enceladus is an icy world that hides a subsurface ocean of salty water. Cassini measured the rain using two separate instruments. Crida said that perhaps the ice ejected by micrometeoroid impacts tends to reattach itself to the rings, while the ejected pollutants rain out. Becker conjectures that pollution is being preferentially ejected by impacts, regardless of whether the ice is reattaching itself in this manner.

But no one knows for sure. What if, said Crida, the pollution argument is correct? What if the rings have always been exposed to an unchanging influx of cosmic dust, and the rings are million years old at most? Then we would have to explain how the rings formed so recently, which is a tricky prospect.

First, we have no idea what created the rings, so assigning them an origin story at any point in time is difficult. But no such mission is forthcoming. The typical thickness of the rings is only about 10 meters. But their own stories are also riddled with uncertainties, from their origins to their ages. A model , using the current positions of the moons to peer backward through time, suggests that the present system of rings and inner moons could have been created when a pair of midsize moons smashed into each other about million years ago.

While the past is unclear, the future seems more certain. I wonder if Saturn can support life on its rings? Nov 3, Lily Oct 21, Oct 23, Oct 9, Harmonic Blazing Blazer Oct 2, I learned a little more, but how about learning more about my mother moon? Dakota daley Oct 2, Oct 3, Jamar Oct 2, Athavan Oct 2, I think that Saturn is a cool planet! I think this Saturn rings made out of meddles also it was awesome and it was nice.

Shawn Oct 1, That's cool I never new that thanks for all the info wonderoplis. This is amazing! My class and I read wonders every single day! They are so educational and fun to read! Thank you!!!! Oct 1, Bob Sep 30, Wow I really like this website it was awesome reading this! Taylor Sep 30, Whoo so much stuff about Saturn. I got saturned away. Taylor Nov 2, Sep 29, Callie Sep 29, I didn't know that Saturn has 7 rings or that Galileo was the first astronomer see the ring either. I think this wonder is great but can you tell us more about saturn.

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Add widget. You Got It! Not Quite! Try Again. The largest ring system—the one discovered in —starts 3. Researchers are still discovering new rings as well as new insights into the features of Saturn's already-known ring systems.

In the early s, NASA's Voyager missions took the first high-resolution images of Saturn and its rings, revealing previously unknown kinks in one of the narrower rings, known as the F ring.

In , NASA sent the Cassini orbiter to continue the space agency's study of the ringed planet, leading to the discovery of new rings, so faint that they remained unknown until Cassini's arrival in Before Cassini is sent to burn up in Saturn's atmosphere in September , it's taking 22 dives through the space between the planet and its rings, bringing back new, up-close revelations about the ring system before the spacecraft dives to its death.

Though it's certainly possible to see Saturn's rings without any fancy equipment, using a low-end telescope at your house, that doesn't mean you always can.