Why do the rings of Saturn orbit Saturn?

Answer 1

Since Saturn is a massive gas giant, its gravitational force is stronger than any of the solid rock planets. So it basically pulled fragments from outer space into its gravitational force. All gas planets (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) have rings, the other planet's rings are just fainter than Saturn's.

Answer 2

From a distance they look like solid rings, but close up, Saturn's rings are a vast collection of small rocks and dust in orbit around the planet. It may be possible for a small space craft to fly through them where they are fairly thin as there would be gaps to fly through. The space craft would have to fly very slowly and match its speed to the ring material, negotiating its way through a field of small rocks and ice lumps. It certainly couldn't do it a a great speed without catastrophic collisions with the ring material.

Answer 3

1) the rings are debris, mostly ice

2) if the planet weren't there, they'd be orbiting something else (the Sun or some other planet).

Astronomers believe that Saturn's rings are the remnants of one or more icy planetoids that orbited the planet, broken up by collisions and by the tidal stresses of the planet's massive gravity.

It may also be that tidal forces simply prevented a moon from forming so close to Saturn. Many of the ring segments have co-orbiting moons or moonlets.

Answer 4

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