You ever hear a fact that utterly blows your mind? That would be impossible to believe if there weren't photographic evidence?
Saturn's rings can be counted like rings on a treestump. They tell the story of the entire Saturn system's history.
What's more, they aren't rings, they are spirals. The gravitational mechanics of Saturn's rings work similarly to galactic arms, only wound more tightly.
The density waves that are formed by "shepherd moons" aren't one-directional, either. In one of the pics attached, the gravitational wake of the moon Daphnis can be seen throwing up waves perpendicular to the plane of the rings.
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#astronomy #astrophysics #saturn #cassini
Rings and Waves - NASA Science
Saturn's A ring is decorated with several kinds of waves.Âscience.nasa.gov