Saturns Rings in Natural Color
Explanation:
What colors are Saturn's rings?
Recent images
from the
Cassini spacecraft now orbiting
Saturn confirm that different rings have slightly different colors.
The
above image shows their sometimes-subtle differences in brightness and color.
The rings
reflect sunlight and so, even if they were perfectly reflecting,
would appear the
color of the Sun.
The
ring particles are mostly light water-ice,
although these particles can be shaded by an unknown type of
darker dirt.
Thinner and more isolated rings also naturally appear darker.
The brightest section
pictured
above is Saturn's
B ring.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
