What are Saturn's rings made up of and where are they found?

1 answer

Saturn's rings are primarily composed of ice particles ranging in size from tiny grains to large chunks. The ice particles are made of water, along with smaller amounts of other materials such as rock and dust. These particles have accumulated over billions of years from various sources, including impacts with Saturn's moons and comets or asteroids from the outer Solar System.

Saturn's rings are found encircling the planet, extending from about 6,630 kilometers (4,120 miles) above its equator to about 120,700 kilometers (75,000 miles) away. They are very thin, with an average thickness of around 10 meters (30 feet) and can span up to a few kilometers wide. Despite their enormous size, the rings are remarkably thin, giving them a remarkable appearance from a distance.