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Explanation: The third and fourth innermost moons of Saturn were unexpectedly discovered to be gravitational "shepards." The inner moon Prometheus and the outer moon Pandora use their gravitational attraction to define Saturn's outermost ring. Were any of the smaller chunks of ice and rock that compose Saturn's F Ring to stray, the ring particle would be gravitationally pulled back into place by one of these passing moons. This complex interaction creates a ring structure with two narrow braids and several unusual knots.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Saturn - ring
Publications with words: Saturn - ring
See also:
- A Lunar Corona with Jupiter and Saturn
- Jupiter and Saturn Great Conjunction: The Movie
- Great Conjunction: Saturn and Jupiter Converge
- Saturn and Jupiter in Summer 2020
- Great Conjunction over Sicilian Lighthouse
- Saturn and Jupiter over Italian Peaks
- APOD: 2020 August 13 Á Jupiter and Saturn Rising Beyond Alien Throne Rock