Planet Saturn and the Mysterious Rings Around It

Our Solar System is cooler than you might think. We have some hot planets, cold planets, gas giants, Earth twins, and a few having rings around them as well. The cool and interesting phenomenon of these planets always sparks our interest in digging up more information about them.

One such phenomenon is that the planet Saturn which has mysterious rings around it. These rings have some distinctive properties making Saturn not only one of the largest but also the one-of-a-kind planet in our Solar System.

About Saturn

Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the third planet from the Earth. Unlike Earth, Saturn does not have a rocky core and it is considered as a gas giant. This is because it has a deep layer of metallic hydrogen, liquid hydrogen, and liquid helium which makes this a complete planet. Since the deep layer of metallic hydrogen has an electrical current, it gives Saturn a planetary property of the magnetic field.

Saturn has a radius of 58232 km which is about 9 times as compared to Earth. However, being a gas giant planet, it only has about one-eighth density as to what is present on Earth. At Saturn, there are about 5 different ring types which are subdivided into many other categories. There are unusual atmospheric aspects as well seen at Saturn. For example, wind speed at Saturn could reach up to 1800 km per hour.

Saturn has about 82 moons of which 53 have been named while studies are being carried out on the other moons as well. The shape of Saturn is like an oblate spheroid due to its fast rotation.

Planet Saturn along with its Rings.

History of the Saturn Rings

When it comes to knowledge about celestial bodies and planets, Galileo Galilei is the person that astronomers refer to for his first-hand work on planetary bodies. He is known to have seen the Saturn rings in 1610 firstly. However, he was not able to figure out whether these were rings or something else.

About 45 years later in 1655, Christiaan Huygens who used a much more powerful telescope gave a firm judgment that Saturn had thin and flat rings. He was also the one who discovered Titan, the largest moon of Saturn and the second-largest natural satellite in the Solar System.

The Ring System of Saturn

The most interesting thing about Saturn is its rings. Scientists still have no clue as to how they have been formed or what has caused these rings to stay like these for a very long time. Some scientists suggest that these rings were formed earlier in History while others believe that the ring formation occurred later.

Although there are only 5 major rings which include Ring D, Ring C, Ring B, Ring A, and Ring F (in order of being closest to the planet). They were named alphabetically in the order that they were discovered.

Over the years, scientists have figured out that these rings have been made of billions of particles of ice and rock that vary in size. Even though there is no confirmation on how these rings have formed, it is believed that the rings have been formed from leftover debris of comets, asteroids, or any other celestial bodies.

The rings of Saturn as per their order of discovery.

The Main Rings

The main rings are those which are dense which has made them quite easier to discover from a distance. They extend from 7000km to 80000 km away from the equator of Saturn. Nonetheless, the estimated thickness of these rings is expected to be only 10 m to 1000 m. Scientists have a strong belief that the ring system has been prevailing for a long time because of the gravity and orbital properties that have led to these rings sustaining.

Different Viewpoints on the Saturn Rings

Since there is not much clarity on the rings, different scientists have had different opinions and theories about the Saturn Rings. One theory as suggested by Edouard Roche in the 1800s is that the rings were actually the moon of Saturn. However, the orbit shortened for this moon and it came close enough to the planet which led to the moon being ripped apart from the tidal waves.

This theory makes some sense because the rings have an orbital pattern like the moon where the particles of the so-called moon are still orbiting. Some Scientists suggest the opposite and believe that the breaking of a moon from tidal forces is not easily possible. They think that the moon was destroyed when an asteroid collided with it.

There are other theories as well which suggest that these rings were not a part of the moon but could be the material from which Saturn is formed due to which they are still encircling Saturn in the orbit. However, despite so many aspects of the rings of Saturn, there are always some questions that are left unanswered making it difficult to have a definite fact regarding these rings.

Saturn, the moons, and rings.

The B-Ring is the Largest One

From the studies by expert astronomers, it has been found out that the B-ring has been found out as the largest and brightest ring of the planet which has a thickness of 5 to 15 meter while the optical depth is between 0.4 to 5. The B-ring has a variation in the density and brightness at different points which is another mysterious aspect as to why one ring has these differences.

In 2016, there was a study of spiral density waves that evaluated that the surface range of the B Ring could be between 40 to 140 g/cm square. This ring has an optical depth that is very minimally correlated with the mass density which is another confusing phenomenon.

Can you view Saturn Rings?

Yes, viewing Saturn’s rings is possible only if you have the right kind of telescope. The basic ones won’t work in this case and you will need the one that has advanced specifications. In case you are wondering about the telescope which can be used to view Saturn and its rings, the below-mentioned ones might help.

Astro Master 70AZ Telescope by Celestron

The right telescope is all that you need to have a detailed view of the rings of Saturn as well as the other planets such as Jupiter. Being one of the most powerful refractor telescopes available in the market, it is recommended for the experts as well as the beginners due to the ease of use, adjustable tripod, and high quality 70mm optics providing you the most high-definition images.

Explore one telescope that is better than others! The company offers two eyepieces of 20mm and 10mm for the best experience for users. You would be glad to know that there is no requirement for any detailed setup for this telescope. Just set up the tripod and attach it easily without the usage of any tools.

In case you are still wondering whether this is the right choice or not, you should know that there is a 2-year warranty as well as lifetime access to technical support teams based out of the USA. For an interactive sky simulation experience, the Bonus Starry Night Edition Software is also provided.

Such an amazing view of the planet Saturn.

Telescope 80EQ Refractor Scope by SOLOMARK

If you are looking for a telescope that gives you the ultimate space viewing experience, this one is what you need. For beginners and first-time users, it is quite a user friendly and shows the different indicators of quality, value, features, and power as well.

With a manual mount, there is a smooth and accurate pointing to the object that you are looking for in the sky. Being compact and portable, it could be the perfect item for camping nights and trips. You can also take it to specific sky observing sites and view some of your favorite celestial bodies such as the moon, the rings of Saturn, Jupiter’s moons, Nebula, Andromeda Galaxy, and many more.

Coming with a range of tools and accessories such as 2 eyepieces of 10mm and 20mm, erect image diagonal, finder scope, a moon filter, cell phone mount, 1.5X Barlow lens, and others, etc., you will find this to be one complete purchase.

Conclusion

Saturn is one of the most mysterious celestial bodies in the solar system. With ever-changing properties for the planet and its rings, we can only assume some of the information as the confirmed facts are still not there. We suggest you buy a telescope right away to view the planet and its rings. You will surely enjoy the spectacular view.

Did you know that there is an even bigger gas giant? The biggest planet in the Solar System? That’s right. We are talking about Jupiter. Learn more about this planet from here – Facts You Should Know About Jupiter.

Since you might be buying a telescope, it would be useful to assess whether the International Space Station can be seen with a telescope or not. Learn about the important aspects here – International Space Station: Can you see it with a telescope?