Knowra Cassini Division Cassini Division The broad gap between Saturn’s A and B rings, where particle density is relatively low. Its structure is shaped largely by orbital resonances with Saturn’s moon Mimas.
Orbital resonance : A gravitational relationship in which orbiting bodies exert repeated, periodic influences on one another. Mimas repeatedly perturbs ring particles at resonant orbital periods, helping clear the division.
Saturn's rings : A system of icy and rocky particles orbiting Saturn in a thin, broad disk. The division is a major gap within Saturn’s ring system.
Giovanni Domenico Cassini : An Italian-French astronomer who discovered four of Saturn’s moons and the division now bearing his name. He identified the gap between Saturn’s bright rings in 1675.
Huygens Gap : A narrow gap in Saturn’s B ring near the inner edge of the Cassini Division. It is one of the division’s most prominent internal gaps.
Saturn's rings age : The estimated time since Saturn’s rings formed, inferred from their mass, composition, and exposure to contaminants. The division’s particle distribution contributes evidence about the rings’ history.
Mimas : A moon of Saturn and the smallest known astronomical body whose shape is approximately rounded by self-gravity. Its 2:1 inner Lindblad resonance lies near the division’s outer edge.
A ring : The outermost of Saturn’s two brightest main rings, lying beyond the Cassini Division. Its inner boundary borders the division.
Christiaan Huygens : A Dutch astronomer who established that Saturn is surrounded by a ring. His interpretation of Saturn’s ring system provided the context for Cassini’s later observation.
Herschel Gap : A prominent narrow gap within Saturn’s Cassini Division, named for William Herschel. It provides a distinct example of the division’s fine-scale structure.
Ring rain : The gradual influx of ring material into Saturn’s atmosphere along magnetic field lines. Material loss affects models of how long Saturn’s rings, including the division, can persist.
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