Uranus' Ring System
			
		
		
			 Erich Karkoschka (University of Arizona Lunar & Planetary Lab) and NASA
		
		
			The rings of 
Uranus 
are thin, narrow, and dark compared to other planetary
ring systems.  Brightened artificially by computer, the ring particles
reflect as little light as charcoal, although they are really made of ice
chucks darkened by rock. 
This false-color, 
infrared picture from the 
Hubble Space Telescope taken in 
July 1995 shows the rings in conjunction to the planet.  The 
infrared 
light allows one to see detail in different layers of
Uranus' atmosphere, 
which has been digitally enhanced with false color. 
Three other planets in our 
Solar System are known to have rings: 
Jupiter,
Saturn, and 
Neptune.  
Four of 
Uranus' moons are visible outside the ring plane.  The 
rings of 
Uranus were discovered from ground-based observations
in 1977.