The Universe

The Hunt for Ringed Planets

Documentary · Sep 15, 2009 · 42 min HISTORY Vault
Available on HISTORY, Philo, Prime Video, HISTORY Vault, Hulu, Sling TV

S4, E5: They are breathtaking, lethal and a constant source of surprise. The stunning rings of Saturn have mesmerized countless scientists over the centuries. With particles the size of a house shooting at 53,000 miles per hour around the planet, any spacecraft passing through would meet an instant and catastrophic end. Inside the rings is like a NASCAR race--with bumping, jostling and frequent collisions that can cause a massive spin-out. Lesser known are the other planets that have rings--Uranus, Jupiter, Neptune, possibly Pluto and Mars. Even Earth has a ring. Comprised of some 200 satellites in a geosynchronous orbit, it is the only known man-made ring in the universe. But the most remarkable thing about rings is that they contain the story of the birth of our solar system, and entire distant galaxies. Rings are more than a wonder of the universe--they reveal the secrets of our own origins.

Documentary · Sep 15, 2009 · 42 min

Information

Released
2009
Run Time
42 min
Rated
TV-14
Region of Origin
United States
© 2009 A&E Television Networks. All Rights Reserved.

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English
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English (United States) (AAC, CC)

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Closed captions (CC) refer to subtitles in the available language with the addition of relevant non-dialogue information.
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