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Saturn's Rings

Thousands of individual rings make up Saturn’s ring system. Some rings are made of small bits of frozen water, others contain tiny grains of dust, and still others are a mixture of the two. In all, the rings are only a few hundred feet thick.

Resources

Saturn's Moons February 19, 2016
Saturn's rings

Saturn February 10, 2016

Radio Programs

Saturn Opposition III Pondering the future of Saturn’s rings August 27, 2023

Saturn Opposition II The start of a new season on Saturn August 26, 2023

Moon and Saturn Flattening the rings of Saturn August 2, 2023

Moon and Saturn Knocking over a giant planet April 14, 2023

Moon and Saturn Discovering a giant dirty snowball December 26, 2022

Moon and Saturn Probing the center of a planet January 4, 2022

Saturn at Opposition III Spinning around a giant planet July 21, 2020

Saturn at Opposition The solar system’s runner-up July 19, 2020

Saturn II Getting to know Saturn’s rings July 8, 2019

Moon and Saturn Coating the moons of Saturn June 18, 2019

Moon and Planets Washing away Saturn’s rings March 1, 2019

Moon and Saturn Young rings for an old planet September 16, 2018

Moon and Saturn A remarkably familiar world May 30, 2018

Moon and Saturn Brightening up the night sky April 6, 2018

Moon and Saturn Levitating above Saturn’s rings November 20, 2017

Exploring Saturn Getting to know a giant planet September 13, 2017

Saturn at Opposition A runner-up to no planet June 12, 2017

Through the Gap A spacecraft begins its final act April 21, 2017

Moon and Saturn A new idea about the rings of Saturn January 23, 2017

Featured Images

saturn's rings seen edge-on

Thin Rings August 2, 2023
2019 Hubble Space Telescope view of Saturn and its rings

Bright Rings July 19, 2020
Hubble Space Telescope view of Saturn, June 2019

Ringed Splendor September 14, 2019
artist's concept of Cassini passing inside Saturn's rings

Inside Job March 1, 2019
bright spokes in Saturn's rings

Bright Spokes November 20, 2017
Cassini flies between Saturn and its rings

Final Act September 13, 2017
Cassini view of Earth, Moon, and Saturn's rings

Looking Back April 24, 2017
Artist's concept of Cassini crossing inside Saturn's rings

Through the Gap April 21, 2017
Saturn's glorious rings

Just Plain Rings October 3, 2016
August 17, 2015, view of Saturn's moon Dione in front of the giant planet

Last Visit August 18, 2015
Cassini view of Saturn's family of gings

Family Portrait April 7, 2015