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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