Click on the thumbnail or headline shown to obtain a larger version of each
image.
Close-Up of Saturn's Rings
This spectacular false color Voyager 2 close-up image of Saturn's ring system
was taken with three separate filters—ultraviolet, blue, and green—on August 23, 1981, from a range of 3 million km. The resulting combined
image shows that the C ring, which appears slightly blue, and the B ring,
which has a yellow tint, could have different trace element compositions
from each other.
Source: NASA JPL, Frequently Asked Questions about Saturn's Rings,
Image ID: saturn32.gif
Spoke Pattern on Saturn's Rings
"Spokes" are strange dark radial features as long as 20,000 km that move
in curious patterns on the B ring. The spokes have been observed on both sides
of the ring plane, and are thought to be microscopic grains that have become
electrically charged and are floating above and below the ring plane. Since
the spokes rotate at the same rate as Saturn's magnetic field, it is thought
that interactions between these hypothesized charged grains and the magnetic
field of the planet cause the observed motion.
Source: NASA JPL, Frequently Asked Questions about Saturn's Rings,
Image ID: saturn20.gif
Comparison of Planetary Ring Systems
This drawing shows a comparison of the four known planetary ring systems,
indicated here by solid circles, plus their associated satellites in a view that
has been scaled to a common planetary equatorial radius. The density of
cross-hatching suggests the relative optical depths of different ring
components. Synchronous orbit is indicated by a dashed line; the fluid tidal
breakup (Roche) limit for a density of 1000 kg/cubic meter is indicated by a
dot-dashed line.
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Close-Up of Saturn's Rings
Spoke Pattern on Saturn's Rings
Comparison of Planetary Ring Systems