Saturn is one of the most incredible celestial bodies to behold in the night sky, particularly due to its iconic rings. But what exactly are these rings made of and when were they formed? For centuries, astronomers have studied this distant planet from afar, but it wasn’t until 1997 that scientists were able to get up close and personal with Saturn. On October 15th of that year, the Cassini-Huygens spacecraft launched into space, providing us with an unprecedented level of detail about the mysterious planet.
The Cassini-Huygens mission revealed a wealth of information about Saturn’s dynamic environment. We now know that its rings are composed of mostly ice particles ranging in size from grains of sand to boulders and that they stretch out as far as 120,000 kilometers in diameter—nearly four times the diameter of Earth! Scientists also discovered that these majestic features were likely created by the breakup of a comet or asteroid millions of years ago.
This groundbreaking mission has allowed us to further explore one of our Solar System’s most fascinating planets in a way never before possible. To learn more about all we’ve discovered from this Explorer mission and why Saturn remains so captivating today, be sure to check out the documentary “Cassini: From Earth to Saturn.” Here you’ll gain insight into the entire journey—from launch day through our first close-up inspection—and discover just how Jupiter’s largest moon played a part in our exploration. So if you’re looking for answers about where those mesmerizing rings came from and want to learn even more secrets about Saturn, don’t miss your chance to watch this must-see documentary!