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    Uranus, rings

    changes in the appearance of the rings of Uranus from 2001 to 2007
    Infrared images showing the change in appearance of Uranus's rings as seen from Earth.
    Credit: I. de Pater & H. Hammel/Keck Observatory

    Uranus has a faint system of 13 narrow, elliptical-shaped rings, composed of dark dust and rocks up to about 10 meters in diameter. The ring system was discovered in 1977, during an occultation of a star by the planet. As the star first approached and then receded behind the planet it appear to blink off and on – a blinking found to be due to a system of rings. For more pictures of the rings, see Uranus gallery. See also Uranus, moons.


    Ring Distance from center
    of Uranus (km)    		 Width of ring
    (km)    		 Eccentricity Inclination
    ( ° )
    R/2003 U2 97,700      
    R/2003 U1 66,000      
    Epsilon 51,149 20 to 96 0.00794  
    Lambda 50,024 ~2 0. 0.
    Delta 48,300 3 to 7 0.00004 0.001
    Gamma 47,627 1 to 4 0.00109 0.000
    Eta 47,176 1.6    
    Beta 45,661 5 to 11 0.00044 0.005
    Alpha 44,720 4 to 10 0.00076 0.015
    Ring 4 42,571 ~2 0.001065 0.032
    Ring 5 42,234 ~2 0.00190 0.054
    Ring 6 41,837 1.5 0.00101 0.062
    R/1986 U2 38,000      



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