Saturn’s rings the remnants of a moon that strayed too close, say scientists

Summary by Ground News

Scientists say Saturn's moon Chrysalis may have been torn apart 160 million years ago. 99% of the Chrysalis wreckage appears to have plunged into Saturn's atmosphere. The remaining 1% stayed in orbit around the planet and eventually formed the ring system. Saturn is the second-largest planet in our solar system behind Jupiter.

Published 4 months ago · Cambridge, United States

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Reuters

Violent death of moon Chrysalis may have spawned Saturn's rings

Call it the case of the missing moon.

4 months ago·United Kingdom

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The Guardian

Saturn’s rings the remnants of a moon that strayed too close, say scientists

Theory of inner satellite ripped apart by gas giant’s gravity 100m-200m years ago also explains rings’ relative youth

4 months ago·London, United Kingdom

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Sydney Morning Herald

Violent death of moon ‘Chrysalis’ may have spawned Saturn’s rings

Researchers studying data from NASA’s Cassini spacecraft have a new theory about how the spectacular rings of Saturn were born.

4 months ago·Sydney, Australia

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c|net

Saturn's Missing Moon Might Be Hiding In Its Rings, Scientists Suggest

The theory explains two longstanding mysteries about the showy gas giant.

4 months ago·New York, United States

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Raw Story

Violent death of moon Chrysalis may have created Saturn's rings

Discovered by Galileo 400 years ago, the rings of Saturn are about the most striking thing astronomers with small telescopes can spot in our solar system.But even today, experts cannot agree on how or when they formed.A new study published Thursday in the prestigious journal Science sets out to provide a convincing answer.Between 100-200 million years ago, an icy moon they named Chrysalis broke up after getting a little too close to the gas gian…

4 months ago·United States

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Eurek Alert

Saturn’s rings and tilt could be the product of an ancient, missing moon

Scientists propose a lost moon of Saturn, which they call Chrysalis, pulled on the planet until it ripped apart, forming rings and contributing to Saturn’s tilt.

4 months ago·Washington, United States

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