How big are the rings?

How big are the rings?
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1 Answer

Answer :

Saturn’s ring system is both very broad and very thin. The inner edge of the rings begins approximately 6,700 km (4,200 mi) from the cloudtops of Saturn. The outer edge of the A ring is at approximately 76,500 km (47,600 mi) from the cloudtops of Saturn. The outer edge of the outermost ring (the E ring) has been measured out to about 420,000 km (260,000 mi) from Saturn’s cloudtops. This distance is greater than that between Earth and the Moon — 384,000 km (242,000 mi). It is likely that the rings extend even farther from Saturn in an ever-diminishing zone of fine, icy dust. In terms of thickness from top to bottom, the bright A and B rings may be as thin as a hundred meters — the length of a football field. At its outer edge, the E ring increases in thickness to several thousand kilometers.
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Related questions

Do the rings move?

Description : Do the rings move? 

Last Answer : Yes, but not like a solid would move. The bits and boulders of Saturn's rings each orbit like tiny moons. They move around Saturn in the same direction as Saturn rotates and the same direction as ... a much longer time (millions of years), some of the rings may spread out and eventually disappear. 

What’s the difference between a moon and a ring particle?

Description : What’s the difference between a moon and a ring particle? 

Last Answer : The rings are nothing more than a dense swarm of tiny, interacting moons. In principle, you could find an orbit for every ring particle around Saturn if the particles did not interact with ... to see just what definitions evolve once Cassini begins making its closer examination of Saturn's rings!

Who discovered all these moons?

Description : Who discovered all these moons?

Last Answer : In 1655, Christiaan Huygens, a Dutch astronomer, observed Saturn through a telescope and discovered Saturn's largest moon, Titan, although it wouldn't be named this for another 200 years. Titan's diameter ... still excited, because this was the first time the F ring clumps had been seen from Earth.

Are Saturn’s moons in the rings? Do the moons collide with the ring particles?

Description : Are Saturn’s moons in the rings? Do the moons collide with the ring particles?

Last Answer : One small moon has been found orbiting within the main rings (A, B, C). This moon, named Pan, orbits in the Encke Gap, near the outer edge of the A ring. Pan sweeps the gap clear of ... it and producing particles. No one has yet seen these probable G ring moons - perhaps the Cassini spacecraft will!

If Earth had rings like Saturn’s, what would they look like from the ground?

Description : If Earth had rings like Saturn’s, what would they look like from the ground?

Last Answer : If you were to scale down Saturn and its ring system so that Saturn was the size of Earth, the outer edge of the A ring would stretch about 6,400 km (4,000 mi) from Earth's ... Earth had rings like Saturn's, they would appear exceptionally beautiful on the summer solstice from midlatitudes at noon.

Why doesn’t Earth have rings?

Description : Why doesn’t Earth have rings?

Last Answer : The small inner planets may have had rings in the past and may have rings again in the future. One prevalent theory says that ring systems are much younger than the age of the Solar System, and as ... orbit around our planet. In a very short time, this debris would gather together to form the Moon.

How old are the rings? Has Saturn always had rings? Will it always have rings?

Description : How old are the rings? Has Saturn always had rings? Will it always have rings?

Last Answer : Using data collected by NASA's Pioneer and Voyager spacecraft, scientists have estimated that Saturn's rings are only 100 million years old, a small fraction of the 4.6 billion years the Solar ... Saturn. It is now apparent that Saturn's rings are complex, dynamic, and constantly evolving things.

Why does Saturn have rings? How were the rings made?

Description : Why does Saturn have rings? How were the rings made?

Last Answer : The rings probably formed primarily because one or more small moons broke up close to Saturn. This breakup could have been the result of a collision with a comet or asteroid, or with another moon in ... This slowly grinds them down in size and spreads them out, gradually adding to Saturn's rings.

Why does Saturn have so many moons, but Earth has only one?

Description : Why does Saturn have so many moons, but Earth has only one?

Last Answer : Here again, astronomers can make some educated guesses. There is more planet-building stuff at Saturn's orbital distance than at Earth's orbital distance. This is because Saturn's orbit is so far from ... , which later collided with each other or Earth, and now we are left with one large moon.

Are Saturn’s moons like Earth’s Moon?

Description : Are Saturn’s moons like Earth’s Moon?

Last Answer : Yes and no. Many of them are covered with impact craters like our Moon, but the moons of Saturn are made up of much more water ice than Earth's moon. Earth's Moon may have very tiny patches of ice, ... , and un-like all of the other 60 or so moons in the Solar System, Titan has a thick atmosphere.

How many moons does Saturn have?

Description : How many moons does Saturn have?

Last Answer : At least 18 moons orbit Saturn. Until recently, Saturn was the moon champion, recognized as having more than any other planet in the Solar System. However, astronomers have announced discoveries ... faces away from their direction of motion. These are called the leading and trailing hemispheres.

Does Saturn have seasons like Earth’s?

Description : Does Saturn have seasons like Earth’s?

Last Answer : Yes, sort of. Earth has seasons because of the tilt of its axis. Imagine a line drawn through Earth from the North Pole to the South Pole. This line always points toward the distant star Polaris, no ... it's summer in Australia: Earth is slightly closer to the Sun in January than it is in July. 

How long is a year on Saturn?

Description : How long is a year on Saturn?

Last Answer : A year is the time it takes for Earth to make one complete trip around the Sun, or about 365 Earth days. It takes Saturn 29.5 Earth years to travel once around the Sun, so one Saturn year is about 30 Earth years. ... orbit around the Sun since you were born! (15/30 = 1/2 = 0.5 of a Saturn year old)

How long is a month on Saturn?

Description :  How long is a month on Saturn?

Last Answer : A calendar month on Earth is a bit longer than the time it takes for the Moon to completely orbit Earth and go through a full set of moon phases - about 29.5 days. Saturn has many moons whose ... , which takes about 16 Earth days to orbit Saturn, then a Saturn month would be 36 Saturn days long.

How long is a day on Saturn?

Description : How long is a day on Saturn?

Last Answer : A day on Earth is 24 hours long - the time it takes Earth to make one complete rotation relative to the Sun. Saturn's day is 10 hours 39 minutes - the time it takes Saturn to make one complete ... though Saturn is much larger than Earth, a Saturn day is less than half as long as an Earth day.

Does Saturn have a magnetic field like Earth’s?

Description :  Does Saturn have a magnetic field like Earth’s?

Last Answer : Yes. Deep inside Saturn, probably in the deepest layers of liquid hydrogen and helium, something is causing Saturn to act like a giant magnet. The same sort of thing happens in the hot liquid ... . Auroras are caused when particles streaming from the Sun interact with Saturn's magnetic field.

Is there life on Saturn?

Description :  Is there life on Saturn?

Last Answer : Probably not. Extreme temperatures, and lack of adequate water and oxygen make it highly unlikely that life as we know it exists anywhere in Saturn’s atmosphere.

Since Saturn and Jupiter are both made up of mostly hydrogen and helium, why isn’t Saturn the same color as Jupiter?

Description : Since Saturn and Jupiter are both made up of mostly hydrogen and helium, why isn’t Saturn the same color as Jupiter?

Last Answer : Saturn is a world of white and pastel yellow cloud layers, perhaps somewhat reminiscent of the colors in a lemon meringue pie. Jupiter, by contrast, displays bright yellows, oranges, and reds in exotic swirls ... do exist on Saturn, they are harder to see because the colors do not contrast as much.

Does Saturn have winds and storms?

Description : Does Saturn have winds and storms?

Last Answer : Yes, but the winds and storms on Saturn are very different from those on Earth. The Voyager spacecraft measured a giant jetstream near Saturn's equator with a fantastic eastward speed of about 1,800 ... Jupiter's Great Red Spot is the most notable example of a long-lived hurricane on another planet.

What is the temperature on Saturn?

Description : What is the temperature on Saturn?

Last Answer : Astronomers have measured the temperature near the cloudtops of Saturn to be about -143 °C (-225 °F). This temperature increases with depth because the gases are compressed to dramatically greater ... planet. Cassini scientists will be exploring Saturn's energy balance for answers to this puzzle.

What’s gravity like on Saturn? Would I weigh the same on Saturn as on Earth?

Description : What’s gravity like on Saturn? Would I weigh the same on Saturn as on Earth?

Last Answer : The gravitational acceleration at the cloud tops of Saturn is similar to that near the surface of Earth - 10.4 m/sec2 for Saturn, compared to 9.8 m/sec2 on the surface of Earth. Thus, it turns out you ... six times less on the Moon. Your mass, however, is exactly the same on the Moon or on Earth. 

Since Saturn does not have a solid surface, would I sink to the middle of the planet if I tried to walk there?

Description : Since Saturn does not have a solid surface, would I sink to the middle of the planet if I tried to walk there?

Last Answer : Saturn has an outer layer of clouds that we consider the edge of the planet. At the top of these clouds, the atmospheric pressure is the same as that of air on Earth. Thus to walk ... you went deeper through the planet's atmosphere, the pressure would increase and eventually you would be crushed.

Tree doctors and city officials, what do the color codes blue, green, orange, and red mean?

Description : Tree doctors and city officials, what do the color codes blue, green, orange, and red mean?

Last Answer : You don’t have to be a tree doctor or a city official to answer

What's your 2016 gardening plan?

Description : What's your 2016 gardening plan?

Last Answer : Those basil plants make my mouth water for summer and its bounty.

What is in the works to prevent/battle Japanese Knotweed?

Description : What is in the works to prevent/battle Japanese Knotweed?

Last Answer : Here you go Roundup for Japanese Knotweed.

What is the word for mineral in flora, fauna and ...

Description : What is the word for mineral in flora, fauna and ...

Last Answer : Mineral, seriously.

How do you prevent Horsetail and is it the most impossible plant to get rid of?

Description : How do you prevent Horsetail and is it the most impossible plant to get rid of?

Last Answer : Prevent it from doing what? Spreading?

What kind of plant is this?

Description : What kind of plant is this?

Last Answer : It looks like a sort of philodendron Maybe not of this variety but you can’t help but notice the similarity. Love those philodendrons, totally unkillable! They take tons of abuse and neglect.

Are these two corns the same?

Description : Are these two corns the same?

Last Answer : Golden Cross is a hybrid, while the 8 row is the heirloom (what the hybrid was created from). So to answer your question, no these are not the same seeds.

Science jellies, "NASA Finds New Life". Thoughts? (details inside)

Description : Science jellies, "NASA Finds New Life". Thoughts? (details inside)

Last Answer : It is very exciting. More exciting still is that it was discovered here on Earth. It leads to the possibility of other lifeforms as yet unknown around ocean volcanoes.

Do you know any endangered/extinct plants that can ameliorate/cure diseases?

Description : Do you know any endangered/extinct plants that can ameliorate/cure diseases?

Last Answer : answer:Go to some early homeopathic work. Perhaps begin with Samuel Hahnemann, M.D., the father of homeopathy'. The approach to healing is altogether different than what you are used to. There was a ... well. The key is finding a great one. And, finding sources with excellent standards. Good luck.

When is the best time to water sunflower?

Description : When is the best time to water sunflower?

Last Answer : The best time to water outdoor plants is usually in late afternoon or evening. This saves water and the soil stays moister longer, in that less is lost to evaporation due to the warmth of the sun.

How to revive a potted house plant (Hawaiian Schefflera)?

Description : How to revive a potted house plant (Hawaiian Schefflera)?

Last Answer : If putting it in the house overnight doesn't do the trick, the plant got too hot and is gone. Thus, the solution is to buy another plant and put it in the same pot. It gets very hot in a car in ... , hot enough to kill plants, animals and babies, so next time don't ever leave a plant in your car.

How do vegans feel about carnivorous plants?

Description : How do vegans feel about carnivorous plants?

Last Answer : Well… I’m not a vegan, but a vegetarian. I have a Venus flytrap at work. I always get a little sad and grossed out when a bug dies (I know, I know…) but the plant doesn’t have the option of getting the necessary nutrients from another source. Such is life.

Why do my dark red cyclamens turn pale pink?

Description : Why do my dark red cyclamens turn pale pink?

Last Answer : It could have something to do with the amount of sunlight.

What are the best plants to use with artificial light?

Description : What are the best plants to use with artificial light?

Last Answer : I have a mother-in-law-toungue plant that is okay with virtually no light. I have a co-worker who has a philodendron that has survived in an office with no light, too.

When is the best time of year (northern hemisphere) for me to plant a herb garden?

Description : When is the best time of year (northern hemisphere) for me to plant a herb garden?

Last Answer : answer:MUCH too vague. You have to find out what zone you live in, and that is just the first step; here are some sample zone maps of N. America, Mexico, Hawaii, Australia where's ... in at the local gardening center or nursery. Gardening in Anchorage is quite different from planting in Acapulco.

A question about a houseplant...

Description : A question about a houseplant...

Last Answer : answer:Hahaha, it sounds like you;re about where I am in life right now - as in my sibling has decided I might be grown up . It really depends on what kind of plant it is. I'd put it as close to the ... all help. IF you know what kind of plant it is, I might be able to give you more help. Have fun!

Is urine bad for a houseplant?

Description : Is urine bad for a houseplant?

Last Answer : answer:Your own urine? Do you drink a lot of sugar? I heard from a scientist-wannabe that dog urine is fantastic with plants. I am not guaranteeing this information though. I found this: http: ... madsci.org/posts/archives/2000-02/950040080.Ag.r.html Hopefully that helps. It's wordy but educational.

How do I take care of a Japanese fiber banana during the winter?(musa basjoo)

Description : How do I take care of a Japanese fiber banana during the winter?(musa basjoo)

Last Answer : It should come back in the Spring. During hard Winters mine freeze then die then return. If I am correct the tree section is below ground all the “stuff” that you can see is merely the “branch” and leaves. If the plant stayed overly wet in the Winter then it could have rotted it out.

Maranta - Arrowroot Plant, Herringbone Plant, Prayer Plant, Rabbit Tracks (Maran'ta)

Description : Maranta - Arrowroot Plant, Herringbone Plant, Prayer Plant, Rabbit Tracks (Maran'ta)

Last Answer : DESCRIPTION: These frost tender perennials are native to tropical America and are grown for their beautiful foliage. They can be grown outside in frost-free climates only. Their leaves rise ... bicolor; M. leuconeura and its varieties are: kerchoveana, massangeana, erythroneura; M. arundinacea.

Neomarica - Apostle Plant, Twelve Apostles (Neoma'rica)

Description : Neomarica - Apostle Plant, Twelve Apostles (Neoma'rica)

Last Answer : DESCRIPTION: These are tender, herbaceous, perennial plants that belong to the Iris family. They grow wild in tropical America. They have plump rhizomes from which arise sword-shaped leaves that are 1 to 2 feet ... time. VARIETIES: N. caerulea; N. gracilis; N. luctea; N. Northiana; N. vittata.

Sedum - Ice Plant, Stonecrop (Se'dum)

Description : Sedum - Ice Plant, Stonecrop (Se'dum)

Last Answer : DESCRIPTION: This is a large group of hardy and tender succulent annuals and perennials. Only one of the annual kinds, S. caeruleum, is of any garden importance, however. Sedums, commonly called Stonecrop ... S. bellum; S. compressum; S. cupressoides; S. dendroideum; S. Nussbaumerianum; S. Palmeri.

Lunaria - Honesty, Money Plant, Moonwort, Satin Flower, Silver Dollars (Luna'ria)

Description : Lunaria - Honesty, Money Plant, Moonwort, Satin Flower, Silver Dollars (Luna'ria)

Last Answer : DESCRIPTION: These annuals and perennials are found naturally from Europe to eastern Siberia. They are grown for their pretty flowers and decorative seedpods, called silicles. Lunaria (commonly called Honesty, Money Plant ... or fall. VARIETIES: L. rediviva; L. annua & var. alba, Munstead Purple.

Ricinus - Castor Bean, Castor-Oil Plant (Ric'inus)

Description : Ricinus - Castor Bean, Castor-Oil Plant (Ric'inus)

Last Answer : R.communis DESCRIPTION: This annual is from tropical Africa and is grown for its decorative foliage. These plants have upright growth, 5 to 15 feet. Their leaves are palmate (palm-shaped) and ... poisonous. R.communis VARIETIES: R. communis & varieties Gibsonii, Sanguineus, cambodgensis.

How to Revive a Plant

Description : How to Revive a Plant

Last Answer : How to Revive a Plant If your plant is looking a little bent out of shape and sad, don't turn sad yourself. There are still some ways that you can do to revive your plant back to its ... virus that's laying waste to your plants.You might need professional help in order to contain that effectively.

How to Prune a Bamboo Plant

Description : How to Prune a Bamboo Plant

Last Answer : How to Prune a Bamboo Plant Bamboo is a very beautiful garden plant that can give depth and a sense of calmness in your garden. The problem is that bamboo can grow too tall or too dense for ... to grow healthy tissue. Pruning a bamboo grove can also save you big money on monthly gardening bills.

How to Plant Cucumbers

Description : How to Plant Cucumbers

Last Answer : How to Plant Cucumbers Required Materials Growing cucumbers is quite easy. You only need the basic tools and materials in gardening. Cucumbers can be grown from seeds so you can purchase them and ... is because the cucumbers would have already become over ripe and this makes their flavor bitter.

How to Plant Bulbs

Description : How to Plant Bulbs

Last Answer : How to Plant Bulbs Flowering bulbs are a beautiful addition to any garden and are relatively easy to take care of. Here are the steps to plant flowering bulbs in your garden. Tools Bulbs ... Mark the spot where you planted your bulbs to avoid accidentally planting something else on the same spot.

How to Grow a Plant

Description : How to Grow a Plant

Last Answer : How to Grow a Plant Growing a plant from a seed is a magical experience. From a small seed, we can grow huge plants, trees, bushes, flowers and even delicious foods. Just like we as ... forests. The destruction of these rain forests means that the orangutan cannot eat and will eventually die off.