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Neptune's Rings

Surprisingly, this blue planet does in fact have rings. They may not be as bright or broad as those of Saturn, but they still are there. Neptune has four rings; three very conspicuous rings and one faint ring. Voyager 2 gave us images of Neptune’s rings that were complete with bright clumps. Although, Neptune’s rings are very dark because they are believed to be made of rocks and dust, which does not reflect light very well. This explains why they aren't that bright.

Neptune with its four ringsThe rings of Neptune have been given names. The outermost ring is Adam, which contains three prominent arcs which are now named Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity. The next ring, closest to Adam, is an unnamed ring. After that, there is Leverrier, which has outer extensions called Lassell and Arago. Lastly, there is the faint ring Galle, which is 42,000 kilometers away, the closest ring to Neptune.

The Adam's Ring

Neptune’s outer ring, Adam, is one unlike any other planetary ring in our Solar System. The reason for this is because of its prominent arcs (Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity) which appear to be denser and brighter than the ring itself. Scientists are unsure why the dust is spread unevenly throughout the ring. It appears to be a contorted, twisted structure. This is why scientists find the Adam’s Ring a very interesting one to study.

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