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National Astronomical Observatory of Japan

Saturn’s Rings Viewed in the Mid-infrared

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A three-color composite of the mid-infrared images of Saturn on January 23, 2008 captured with COMICS on the Subaru Telescope
A three-color composite of the mid-infrared images of Saturn on January 23, 2008 captured with COMICS on the Subaru Telescope. The Cassini Division and the C ring appear bright. Color differences reflect the temperatures; the warmer part is blue, the cooler part is red. (Credit: NAOJ) Original Size (300KB)

A team of researchers has succeeded in measuring the brightnesses and temperatures of Saturn’s rings using the mid-infrared images taken by the Subaru Telescope in 2008. The images are the highest resolution ground-based views ever made. They reveal that, at that time, the Cassini Division and the C ring were brighter than the other rings in the mid-infrared light and that the brightness contrast appeared to be the inverse of that seen in the visible light. The data give important insights into the nature of Saturn’s rings.

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This article is including a link to a article for kids.

Saturn's Rings Are Warm and Fuzzy Printer-friendly

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The Universe Awareness website provides children through the world with fun, easy to understand news and educational materials about the Universe. These help kids understand the size and beauty of the Universe. The “Space Scoop” section of Universe Awareness contains articles written for kids explaining current astronomy news. A Space Scoop is available for this article.