Saturn’s Rings Formed from Large Moon’s Destruction
Source: Nancy Atkinson, Universe Today
Excerpt: The formation of Saturn’s rings has been one of the classical if not eternal questions in astronomy. ... The two leading theories involve a small moon that was shattered by meteor impacts, or the tidal disruption of a comet coming too close to Saturn. ...But one researcher has provided a provocative new theory to answer that question. Robin Canup from the Southwest Research Institute has uncovered evidence that the rings came from a large, Titan-sized moon that was destroyed as it spiraled into a young Saturn....