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What are the major rings of Saturn called?
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Saturn
Saturn and its spectacular rings, in a natural-color composite of 126 images taken by the Cassini spacecraft on October 6, 2004. The view is directed toward Saturn's southern hemisphere, which is tipped toward the Sun. Shadows cast by the rings are visible against the bluish northern hemisphere, while the planet's shadow is projected on the rings to the left.
Saturn's ring system is composed of numerous components, but the three broad major rings visible from Earth are named, in order of increasing distance from the planet, the C ring, the B ring, and the A ring.1
- C ring: Also known as the "crepe ring," it is the innermost of the three major rings.1
- B ring: This is the brightest, thickest, and broadest of the rings.1
- A ring: The outermost of the three major rings visible from Earth.1
These major rings are separated by various gaps, the most prominent of which is the Cassini division, located between the B and A rings. Beyond these primary structures, Saturn possesses several other, more tenuous rings, including the D, F, G, and E rings, as well as a vast, distant dust ring associated with the moon Phoebe.1