Saturn's Rings Are Mostly Ice

Saturn has the most extensive ring system. Particles orbit above the equator, made almost entirely of water ice.

Galileo Galilei observed the rings in 1610 using a telescope. He described them as ears because he could not discern their true nature.

Christiaan Huygens first described the rings as a disk surrounding Saturn. He published his findings in 1659.

The main rings extend from 7,000 km to 80,000 km away from Saturn's equator. They are made of water ice.

Rings have gaps where particle density drops. The Cassini Division is a 4,800-kilometre-wide region between the A and B Ring.

Earth passed through the ring plane and they vanished.

Four robotic spacecraft have observed the rings from nearby. Cassini entered orbit around Saturn in July 2004.

There is no consensus as to when the rings formed. Newer data from Cassini suggests a more recent date.