Will Saturn ever lose its ring?
Jake W from Cheshire (age 5-14)
Answer
Is this what caused Saturn’s rings?
Nobody really completely understands how Saturn got its ring system, but many astronomers believe that they are what is left of a moon that at one time orbited the planet.
They suggest that it is possible that something collided with this moon about 50 million years ago and the debris could have spread to form the rings.
In another 50 million years, scientists think that Saturn will lose its rings! They’ll either be sucked into the planet by its gravitational pull or get thrown out into space!
Rod Stevenson, Vice Chairman, Space Education Council
Filed under: age 5-14, Answered Big Questions, Astronomy Big Questions, Cosmology Big Questions, Physics Big Questions, Planetary Science Big Questions, Rod Stevenson's Big Answers
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