A new analysis based on data obtained by the Cassini mission, which orbited Saturn between 2004 and 2017, has revealed the approximate age of the planet’s rings and the date they disappeared. Three studies published in May 2023 show similar findings.
One post concludes that Saturn’s rings are much younger than the planet. The scientific and astronomical community shares this theory, although they have different attitudes towards the actual age of the rings.
Saturn’s rings were thought to be much younger than the planet because they had not been touched or destroyed by meteorite impacts in billions of years. Two more studies published on May 12 and 15 came to similar conclusions.
“We concluded that Saturn’s rings must be relatively young by astronomical standards. They are only a few hundred million years old,” said Richard Durisen, professor emeritus of astronomy at the University of Bloomington and author of two papers.
“If you look at the natural satellite system of Saturn, you will see that something very big and dramatic has happened in the last few million years. If Saturn’s rings are not as old as the planet, that means something must have happened to form this impressive structure. and this is something that should be very interesting to study,” he concluded.
According to the researchers, it is likely that Saturn’s seven rings were still forming when dinosaurs still lived on Earth.
Saturn’s rings are gradually disappearing
While it’s still not clear what caused or how Saturn’s rings formed, it’s becoming increasingly clear to scientists that they won’t last forever.
When meteorites penetrate the rings, they push material toward the planet. The Cassini mission observed that the rings were losing several tons of mass per second, meaning that they would inevitably disappear. And from an astronomical point of view, he didn’t have much time left. According to researchers, they will last no more than a few hundred million years.
Paul Estrada, one of the authors of one of the studies, assures that “massive rings like those of Saturn do not exist for very long.” “It can be assumed that other rings, such as those of Neptune or Uranus, were once as bright and impressive as the rings of Saturn,” he explains.
Saturn, named after the Roman god of agriculture, is in every way a real giant. With a diameter of about 120,536 kilometers and a mass nearly 95 times that of Earth, this planet is known not only for its rings, but also for its atmosphere. It is composed primarily of hydrogen and helium and is characterized by a series of storms and eddies, the most famous of which is the Great White Spot, similar to Jupiter’s Great Red Spot.
In addition to the rings of Saturn and how they formed, scientists continue to be interested in other questions. What caused the hexagonal storm? Are there other moons with underground oceans? Why does Saturn have 82 moons?
Source: Hiper Textual
