What if Earth had Saturn's rings?

[DeadlyFire]

http://www.wimp.com/earthrings

Certainly would make things more interesting

[Gamekiller]

Wow, thanks for the link. I think it would be pretty cool but I'm sure it'd be nothing special because we'd be used to it.

[LuckyNV]

thanks for that

[SNiiPE_DoGG]

would be really interesting to see the changes in religion and mythology in a world with rings cool vid

[Kallenator]

Something tells me this might be a for satellites?
That in mind, I think it also would be a for star gazing, because of the extra light pollution.

Cool video though, it sure is pure eye candy.

[RAW-Raptor22]

lol...

[lalPOOO]

Looks beautiful. Reminds me of cowboy bebop.

[Frisch]

Stunning.

[[XC] riptide]

Ya, Here's the thing though. Saturn is Huge. And their rings are huge. If we had saturns rings (same size) they would be way way out form the eath with the earth as a very small planet in the middle. He hasn't scaled it.

[XS_Rich]

Ya, Here's the thing though. Saturn is Huge. And their rings are huge. If we had saturns rings (same size) they would be way way out form the eath with the earth as a very small planet in the middle. He hasn't scaled it.

He says at the end he used Roche's limit to determine the size of the rings, as Earth couldn't support rings the size of Saturn's.

[Glow9]

would be really interesting to see the changes in religion and mythology in a world with rings cool vid

spot on.

[Machinus]

Ya, Here's the thing though. Saturn is Huge. And their rings are huge. If we had saturns rings (same size) they would be way way out form the eath with the earth as a very small planet in the middle. He hasn't scaled it.

I was going to post this. The rings would not look anywhere similar due to the vast differences in size and mass between earth and Saturn.

In addition, the Earth is many times warmer than Saturn, and has a much stronger solar wind. Ring systems would not really survive being at 1 AU the way they do in the outer solar system. This is a good thing, since rings would probably make life on Earth much less likely to evolve and survive.

The earth used to have rings, and they coalesced into our only satellite, the Moon.

[Baulten]

Um, I don't see how rings would make life less likely to evolve or survive. Life probably would have evolved a little different since night would be brighter and there would be bands around the equator where day was a little darker, but I don't see how rings would stop it.

Doesn't really matter though... it's still a cool animation.

[Machinus]

Um, I don't see how rings would make life less likely to evolve or survive. Life probably would have evolved a little different since night would be brighter and there would be bands around the equator where day was a little darker, but I don't see how rings would stop it.

Consider the impacts recorded by the moon. Similar bodies striking rings around Earth would have created lots of showers and radiation on the Earth. I think this would have had a detrimental effect on early life.

[saaya]

nice! if we keep sending up satellites into orbit and litter our gravitational neighbourhood with some more rocket debris we might end up with some nice rings like that

[Baulten]

Consider the impacts recorded by the moon. Similar bodies striking rings around Earth would have created lots of showers and radiation on the Earth. I think this would have had a detrimental effect on early life.

Reasonable assumption... though any debris rained down would be small enough it should burn up in the atmosphere, but we've seen some junk in Saturn's ring big enough it could do damage if it hit Earth. I see where you are coming from.

[YukonTrooper]

Scientifically speaking, I don't believe planetary rings can even exist around a terrestrial planet such as ours. Having said that, it would absolutely amazing to see such a sight.

I've always thought it would be fascinating to have a moon close enough to our planet that it took up a large percent of our sky, say ~10%. Better yet, two or more such moons with different colors!

[[XC] 2long4u]

He's wrong about the whole thing being lit at night. The earth's shadow would eclipse part of it all the time.

[nn_step]

He's wrong about the whole thing being lit at night. The earth's shadow would eclipse part of it all the time.

well if we are to translate his statement into that all of it would always be lit, then yes you are correct.

But if we were to parse it that it would shine just like the moon; thus shine only when not being blocked by the earth.

Also I don't believe they included the effect of the moon's gravity into their equations.

[gallardo]

I think the rings look better on Saturn then on Earth.

Sure we'd get used to it, but would you really like to have some lines drawn across the sky at all times? Religions would've evolved into "in the beggining we were all drawn and we can still see the lines our Creator used".

[[XC] 2long4u]

There would be an eclipse in part of the ring system that would move across the sky like the moon does now.

[DeadlyFire]

I think the rings look better on Saturn then on Earth.

Sure we'd get used to it, but would you really like to have some lines drawn across the sky at all times? Religions would've evolved into "in the beggining we were all drawn and we can still see the lines our Creator used".

Or that aliens beamed humans down to earth thousands of years ago good 'ol LOE...

[moiraesfate]

You know, very cool but also creepy.

[Stewie007]

They would likely not be as thick and extensive as those of Saturn.

[RADCOM]

............................and would they be made of cheese ike the moon lol