Saturn's approach to equinox reveals new detail in rings

Towering vertical structures in Saturn’s rings have been discerned for the first time by Cassini as the giant planet approaches equinox.

Equinox defines the exact moment when the Sun is seen directly overhead at noon at a planet’s equator, and occurs twice a year. For Saturn the wait is long, occurring every 15 Earth years. The wait has been well worth it though, for Cassini has detected the long shadows cast across the expanse of rings by never-before-seen structures as the giant planet approaches equinox this August. The observations also confirm that small moons in narrow ring gaps can have significant and complex effects on the edges of their gaps.