New research suggests that Saturn’s rings may be older than commonly thought, potentially dating back to the planet itself. Instead of being around 400 million years old as previously estimated, the icy rings could be approximately 4.5 billion years old. This finding is based on computer modeling by a Japanese-led team from the Institute of Science Tokyo.
The previous estimate of Saturn’s ring age was based on observations by NASA’s Cassini spacecraft, which showed no evidence of darkening caused by micrometeoroid impacts. However, the new research reveals that micrometeoroids vaporize upon collision with the rings, leaving behind minimal residue. As a result, charged particles are either drawn towards Saturn or sent into space, maintaining the rings’ pristine condition.
The team’s findings challenge the long-held “baby rings” theory and suggest that the solar system was chaotic during its formative years, which could have led to the formation of Saturn’s rings closer to the planet’s earliest times.
Source: https://apnews.com/article/rings-of-saturn-age-f4f88140895f146d61f427d1378cd981