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The Mysterious “Arcs” of Saturn’s Moons

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Saturn’s moons Anthe and Methone are getting in on the ring action that made the planet they orbit so famous. As you know, Saturn sports a whole series of glamorous rings, so huge and reflective that astronomers have been seeing them for centuries. Now it turns out that Saturn’s moons Anthe and Methone have accumulated arcs of dust that stretch out around them like wings (pictured). The Cassini site reports today that this is caused by the gravitational fields produced by the moons and Saturn, which hold this debris in position. [via Cassini Imaging Central Lab]

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