Of our solar system’s wonders, one reigns as the emblem of all that is alien and otherworldly: the majestic rings of Saturn, rising resplendent and shimmering above the giant planet’s buttery, cloud-crossed face.
Stretching nearly 300,000 kilometers from tip to tip and containing countless icy particles ranging in size from “microscopic” to “mobile home,” the rings make Saturn undeniably eye-catching. But more than mere decoration, they are one of the most enduring enigmas in planetary science.