Glowing ice rings, a new look at Saturn revealed in infrared light

An infrared image of Saturn captured by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope was released on March 25. The results of this observation will be analyzed together with images from the Hubble Space Telescope released on the same day, and are expected to contribute to scientists gaining a richer and more multi-layered understanding of Saturn's atmosphere.

Saturn's rings shine particularly brightly in the Webb Telescope's infrared image. This is because the rings are made of water ice, which strongly reflects light. This characteristic, which is difficult to capture with visible light, was clearly revealed through infrared observation.

What is the cause of the unique colors of polar regions?

The area of ​​particular note in this observation is Saturn's polar regions. In the Webb Telescope image, Saturn's polar regions appear a distinct grey-green color, indicating that they emit light with a wavelength of about 4.3 micrometers.

Scientists suggest two possibilities for this phenomenon. The first is that the aerosol layer in Saturn's upper atmosphere scatters light differently at that latitude. The second possibility is auroral activity. Charged molecules interacting with Saturn's magnetic field, emitting light near the poles, may be responsible for the observed colors.

New discoveries brought about by cooperation between Webb and Hubble

This observation is an example of how powerful synergy can be created through cooperation between two telescopes observing different wavelengths. While the Hubble Telescope is strong in the visible and ultraviolet regions, the Webb Telescope specializes in infrared observations. By combining the two observation results, it is possible to more precisely analyze the composition of Saturn's atmosphere, temperature distribution, and various meteorological phenomena.

This image was produced through collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI), and image processing was handled by STScI's Joseph DePasquale.