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Related Concept Videos

The Contractile Ring02:15

The Contractile Ring

Contractile rings are composed of microfilaments and are responsible for separating the daughter cells during cytokinesis. Contractile ring assembly proceeds along with other cell cycle events; however, very few mechanistic details are known about the timing and coordination of the contractile rings with the cell cycle.
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The Contractile Ring02:15

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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

Tree Core Analysis with X-ray Computed Tomography
06:56

Tree Core Analysis with X-ray Computed Tomography

Published on: September 22, 2023

Saturn's largest ring.

Anne J Verbiscer1, Michael F Skrutskie, Douglas P Hamilton

  • 1Department of Astronomy, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4325, USA. verbiscer@virginia.edu

Nature
|October 9, 2009
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Saturn hosts a massive, previously undiscovered ring system extending far beyond known rings, linked to its moon Phoebe. This vast dust ring, sustained by impacts on Phoebe, reaches unprecedented distances from the planet.

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Area of Science:

  • Planetary Science
  • Astrophysics
  • Solar System Dynamics

Background:

  • Planetary rings are typically confined close to their host planets due to gravitational forces inhibiting satellite formation.
  • Exceptions like Jupiter's gossamer rings and Saturn's E ring are broad dust sheets extending to 5-10 planetary radii.
  • These known extended rings are continuously supplied by dust from source satellites.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report the discovery and characterization of a vast, previously unknown ring system around Saturn.
  • To investigate the origin and dynamics of this extensive ring structure associated with the moon Phoebe.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of observational data to identify and delineate the extent of the new ring system.
  • Dynamical modeling to understand particle distribution, orbital dynamics, and ring sustenance mechanisms.

Main Results:

  • Discovery of an enormous ring around Saturn, extending from 128 to 207 Saturn radii (R(S)).
  • The ring's vertical thickness (40 R(S)) correlates with Phoebe's orbital vertical motion.
  • The ring's optical depth is low, comparable to Jupiter's faintest gossamer ring, but with lower particle density.
  • Ring particles likely originate from impacts on Phoebe and migrate inward, some reaching Iapetus.

Conclusions:

  • Saturn possesses an exceptionally large ring system associated with its outer moon Phoebe.
  • Impacts on Phoebe are the probable source of material for this extensive ring.
  • The ring particles play a role in the dynamics of the Saturnian system, extending to interplanetary distances.