What would happen if we had rings like Saturn?

Earth’s hypothetical rings would differ in one key way from Saturn’s; they wouldn’t have ice. Earth lies much closer to the sun than Saturn does, so radiation from our star would cause any ice in Earth’s rings to sublime away.

What happens to all the junk in space?

All space junk is the result of us launching objects from Earth, and it remains in orbit until it re-enters the atmosphere. They often re-enter the atmosphere after a few years and, for the most part, they’ll burn up – so they don’t reach the ground.

What would happen if the Earth had a ring around it?

The rings would probably reflect so much sunlight that the planet would never fully plunge into darkness, but remain in a gentle twilight even in the depth of night. During the day, the rings could potentially cause light levels on Earth to skyrocket [source: Atkinson].

What is space junk and how does it affect you?

Space junk, or space debris, is any piece of machinery or debris left by humans in space. It can refer to big objects such as dead satellites that have failed or been left in orbit at the end of their mission. It can also refer to smaller things, like bits of debris or paint flecks that have fallen off a rocket.

What did Cassini discover about Saturn’s rings?

1675: Italian-born astronomer Jean-Dominique Cassini discovers a “division” between what are now called the A and B rings. Sept. 1, 1979: Pioneer 11 is the first spacecraft to reach Saturn. Among Pioneer 11’s many discoveries are Saturn’s F ring and a new moon.

What was the first spacecraft to orbit Saturn?

Flying even closer to Saturn in 1981, Voyager 2 provides more detailed images and documents the thinness of some of the rings. July 1, 2004: NASA’s Cassini spacecraft becomes the first to orbit Saturn, beginning a decade-long mission that revealed many secrets and surprises about Saturn and its system of rings and moons.

Does Saturn have a ring around its moon?

The ring coincides with the orbits of Saturn’s moons Janus and Epimetheus. Images taken during a solar occultation that backlit the planet revealed the new ring. 2009: NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope reveals the presence of a gigantic, low density ring associated with Saturn’s distant moon Phoebe.