![]() Their influence helps pull the rings into shape, creating some of the complex patterns we see.īecause the system is in reality one cloud, it is difficult to say how many rings any particular system has, made all the more difficult as more and more sensitive images can show even fainter features. The rings are in part held in shape by the presence of shepherd moons, small moons that orbit within or close to the edge of a specific part of the ring. ![]() The complex structures and rings are variations in how dense that cloud is. In reality, rather than a vast set of concentric rings, planetary ring systems are effectively a single cloud of material, shaped a bit like a CD. Not only are the rings not solid circles of material, their complex structure is also somewhat misleading. The faint rings of Jupiter are likely the result of minor meteor strikes on the many moons of Jupiter. As this is a far poorer reflector of light, their rings are far harder to see, also making them the last two major planetary ring systems to be discovered in this solar system.Ĭredit: NASA, JPL, Galileo Project, (NOAO), J. Jupiter and Neptune however have rings made primarily of dust. Uranus’s rings also have a fair amount of ice, though are rather weaker and darker. Saturn’s rings, containing vast quantities of highly reflective ice, are clearly visible. The quantity of each material helps determine how visible the rings are. The rings of Saturn may look solid, but all planetary rings are in fact made of a vast collection of pieces of rock, ice and dust. ![]() Alternatively they could be broken up pieces of the gas giant’s moons, perhaps resulting from a catastrophic collision or being torn apart by the gravity of the planet itself. It’s possible they come from material leftover from the formation of our solar system, captured by the planets. However, other stronger ring systems have numerous plausible origins. Jupiter’s faint rings are likely from meteor bombardment of its moons, sending material into space. It is not entirely clear how ring systems form in general. Credit: NASA JPL / Cornell University Why does Jupiter have rings? ![]()
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