This book updates and expands the second edition of The Ringed Planet which provides a look behind the scenes of the Cassini mission and a discussion of some of the major scientific discoveries about Saturn and its moons and rings.
This new edition includes discussions of the ring systems of Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus, and the newly discovered rings around small bodies in the outer solar system, placing them in the context of what we've learned about ring systems from Saturn. We now know that in addition to the rings of the giant planets, several small worlds in our solar system host rings. Combined with new research on the age of Saturn's rings, our overall understanding of the nature and origin of planetary rings is undergoing a major shift. Using a non-technical approach, this book provides physical explanations for the phenomena observed in Saturn's system and other ring systems, featuring over 100 images, animations, and easy-to-understand graphics from the Cassini mission.