Jupiter Rings
The notion that jupiter possesses a ring system like that of Saturn was proposed some 20 years ago. Pioneer 11 data were interpreted as consistent with the existence of a system of tiny satellites forming a ring about jupiter. This was at best speculation, and it was only Voyager 1's photograph of the Beehive star cluster that finally revealed the ring. The photograph showed a ring system extending some 0.7 to 0.8 jupiter radii above the cloud tops of the planet. At most the ring is about 30 kilometers thick and 6,000 kilometers wide.
The particles composing the ring appear to be smaller on the average than Saturn's ring particles. Also unlike Saturn's ring particles, those of jupiter's and Uranus's systems are quite dark. Thus they are not water ice or coated with water ice. The evidence suggests that they are probably silicate particles whose origin is.not known.
There is also a diffuse disk, several times fainter than the bright ring, extending inside toward the planet. Surrounding the bright and diffuse rings is a faint halo some 20,000 kilometers thick. Saturn's rings are not embedded in such a halo.
The notion that jupiter possesses a ring system like that of Saturn was proposed some 20 years ago. Pioneer 11 data were interpreted as consistent with the existence of a system of tiny satellites forming a ring about jupiter. This was at best speculation, and it was only Voyager 1's photograph of the Beehive star cluster that finally revealed the ring. The photograph showed a ring system extending some 0.7 to 0.8 jupiter radii above the cloud tops of the planet. At most the ring is about 30 kilometers thick and 6,000 kilometers wide.
The particles composing the ring appear to be smaller on the average than Saturn's ring particles. Also unlike Saturn's ring particles, those of jupiter's and Uranus's systems are quite dark. Thus they are not water ice or coated with water ice. The evidence suggests that they are probably silicate particles whose origin is.not known.
There is also a diffuse disk, several times fainter than the bright ring, extending inside toward the planet. Surrounding the bright and diffuse rings is a faint halo some 20,000 kilometers thick. Saturn's rings are not embedded in such a halo.
