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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:
- APOD: 2025 April 30 B A Happy Sky over Bufa Hill in Mexico
- APOD: 2025 February 23 B Saturn in Infrared from Cassini
- APOD: 2024 December 8 B Aurora around Saturns North Pole
- Saturn at Night
- APOD: 2024 August 27 B Moon Eclipses Saturn
- APOD: 2024 June 23 B The Colors of Saturn from Cassini
- A Season of Saturn