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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Photo: Saturn's Rings as Old as Solar System, Study Says


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An artist's illustration shows a close-up view of ring particles against the backdrop of the planet Saturn.

According to a new study, the debris, mostly made of ice, has been continuously clumping together and breaking up over the past four billion years. This "recycling" theory suggests a far older age for the rings that previously thought and hints that they may remain around Saturn for eons to come.

Image courtesy NASA/JPL/University of Colorado