Rings Archives

Maps of the ring’s flux and brightness temperature as functions of ring radius and wavelength derived from the MIRI observations. The radial extent of the three main rings are shown at the far right of each plot (the Cassini Division is situated between the A and B rings). Note that the brightness temperature is more useful on the right-hand side of the figure, where thermal emission dominates over reflected sunlight. The brightness temperature rapidly increases at short wavelengths because of the increasing contribution of reflected sunlight. Narrow spectral features in the regions indicated by the shaded bands around 8 µm, 12 µm and 14µm are due to stray light from Saturn, but the bright line at 9.2 µm is due to the presence of highly crystalline water ice throughout the ring. -- astro-ph.EP

Gas Giants, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Saturn

Water-Ice Dominated Spectra of Saturn’s Rings and Small Moons from JWST

by Keith CowingFebruary 27, 2024February 27, 2024

JWST measured the infrared spectra of Saturn’s rings and several of its small moons (Epimetheus, Pandora, Telesto and Pallene) as part of Guaranteed Time Observation program 1247.

Astrochemistry, Astrogeology, Enceladus, Icy Worlds, Imaging & Spectroscopy, Press Release, Water/Hycean Worlds & Oceanography

Could Life Be Found On Saturn’s Moon Enceladus?

by Keith CowingMarch 3, 2023March 3, 2023

What can we learn about NASA Cassini spacecraft’s discovery of tiny particles from the icy ocean of Saturn’s moon Enceladus? What is causing these nanometer-sized silica grains to rise up […]