Answer – Jupiter has four sets of rings. They are called the main ring, the halo ring, the Thebe gossamer ring and the Amalthea gossamer ring.
Explanation:
Planetary rings or ring systems are clusters of matter that orbit planets, giving it the appearance of being enclosed within a ring. All planets regarded as gas giants have ring systems.
The rings around Jupiter are faint when compared to those around Saturn. They are believed to have resulted from meteors bombarding Jupiter’s moons, causing dust and materials to fly from them. The ring systems are held in place by the gravitational fields of these moons.
Jupiter has four ring systems; two of these are substantial ring systems, while the other two fainter, spread out and less dense, and are thus considered gossamer rings. The innermost ring closest to Jupiter is called the halo ring. Beyond it is the main ring which is composed of material from the moons Adrastea and Metis. The ring lies along their orbits.
The outermost rings are the gossamer rings, and each arises from one moon – Amalthea and Thebe. The inner ring is called the Amalthea gossamer ring and as its name suggests, is made up of substance from the moon Amalathea. Similarly, the outer ring is called the Thebe gossamer ring.
