Saturn is 4.5 billion years old. That is, from the beginning of our solar system. No doubt. But the rings. The Cassini spacecraft studied Saturn and landed 22 times in orbits when it finally ran out of fuel. According to Voyager and Cassini, the rings formed between 10 and 100 million years ago.
That is, initially there were only Saturn’s gas spheres and moons. Over time the remnants of the Solar System were captured and gradually turned into beautiful rings of Saturn. These rings are also thought to contain debris from the impact of some early moons. Ice, rock, and dust are the main constituents.
Remember, rings formed when dinosaurs ruled the earth. Below is the view of the Cassini spacecraft crashing down through the clouds on the surface of Saturn on its final voyage, in the artist’s imagination.
cassini spacecraft grand finale concept
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