18
Rings are
individual particles all orbiting separately
•Each particle – dust to golf ball to boulder
size –
is really a separate moon on its own orbit
is really a separate moon on its own orbit
•Orbit with Keplerian velocities: high in close, slow farther out
•Nearby relative
velocities are low – so
particles just gently bump
into each other – slowly grinding themselves up
•Structure in rings largely caused by gravity of moons
Voyager Image
Painting by Bill Hartmann